Rimantas Kaukenas
Encyclopedia
Rimantas "Rimas" Kaukėnas (born April 11, 1977, in Vilnius
, Lithuanian SSR, USSR
) is a Lithuania
n professional basketball player. He was also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team
. He plays primarily at the shooting guard
position, but he can also play point guard
if needed.
in 2009.
and the 2007 FIBA European Championship
, where he won a bronze medal. He also played at the 2008 Olympics Basketball Tournament
.
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Lithuanian SSR, USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional basketball player. He was also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
. He plays primarily at the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
position, but he can also play point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
if needed.
Pro career
Kaukėnas joined the Spanish League club Real MadridReal Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
in 2009.
Teams
- 1992-96 - Prattsburgh Central SchoolPrattsburgh Central SchoolPrattsburgh Central School is a school located in Prattsburgh, New York in which children of K–12 are taught. Many kids have gone to this school such as Rimantas Kaukėnas who is currently playing basketball for his home country of Lithuania....
(High School) - 1996-00 - Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall Pirates men's basketballThe Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey...
(NCAANCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
) - 2000-01 - Hapoel Galil ElyonHapoel Galil ElyonHapoel Galil-Elyon was an Israeli basketball club. The team represented the north-east region of the country – the Upper Galilee, and the Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights...
(Israeli LeagueLigat WinnerLigat HaAl , or the Israeli Basketball Super League, is the top tier of league basketball competition in Israeli basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball competition. For sponsorship reasons, the league is also referred to as Ligat Loto , lit...
) - 2001-02 - Lietuvos Rytas VilniusBC Lietuvos RytasBC Lietuvos rytas is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania playing in the Lithuanian Basketball League , the VTB United League, and the Eurocup...
(Lithuanian League) - 2002-03 - BC Oostende (Belgian LeagueBasketball League BelgiumThe Basketball League Belgium , also known as the Ligue Ethias or Ethias League, is the highest professional basketball league in Belgium.-Teams:* Antwerp Giants* Belgacom Liège Basket* Dexia Mons-Hainaut* Generali Okapi Aalstar...
) - 2003-04 - Telekom Baskets BonnTelekom Baskets BonnTelekom Baskets Bonn is a professional basketball club that is based in Bonn, Germany. The club plays in the German Basketball League, which is the highest level pro basketball league in Germany. The club's sponsor is the German company Deutsche Telekom, a big telephone and internet company, which...
(German League) - 2004-05 - Vertical Vision CantùPallacanestro CantùPallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below...
(Italian LeagueSerie A (basketball)Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
) - 2005-09 - Montepaschi Siena (Italian League)
- 2009-10 - Real MadridReal Madrid BaloncestoReal Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
(Spanish League) - 2010–Present - Montepaschi Siena (Italian League)
Lithuanian national team
Kaukėnas played with the senior Lithuanian national basketball team at the 2001 FIBA European ChampionshipEuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
and the 2007 FIBA European Championship
Eurobasket 2007
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, where he won a bronze medal. He also played at the 2008 Olympics Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
.
Awards and achievements
- Lithuanian Championship - 2002
- North European ChampionshipNorth European Basketball LeagueNorth European Basketball League - was short-lived basketball league founded in 1998 by Šarūnas Marčiulionis. This league was first commercial project of regional league in Europe, and initially intended for participation of best basketball teams from 5 countries - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia,...
- 2002 - German League All-Star Game MVP - 2004
- Eurobasket.com's German League MVP - 2004
- Italian League MVP Runner Up - 2005
- 2 Italian SuperCups - 2007, 2008
- Italian League MVP Runner Up - 2007
- 3 Italian Championships - 2007, 2008, 2009
- Italian League Finals MVP - 2007
- 2007 FIBA European ChampionshipEurobasketThe EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
- Bronze Medal - EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
3rd Place - 2008 - His number 13 was retired by Montepaschi Siena in 2009