Vaidas Kariniauskas (born 16 November 1993) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for Wolves Twinsbet of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroCup. Standing at 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in), he primarily plays at the point guard position.

Vaidas Kariniauskas
Kariniauskas with Lithuania in 2021
No. 8 – Wolves Twinsbet
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLithuanian Basketball League
EuroCup
Personal information
Born (1993-11-16) 16 November 1993 (age 31)
Alytus, Lithuania
NationalityLithuanian
Listed height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2015: undrafted
Playing career2009–present
Career history
2009–2015Žalgiris
2009–2013Žalgiris-2
2013–2014Lietkabelis
2015–2016Kymis
2016–2017Cantù
2017–2018U-BT Cluj-Napoca
2018Oradea
2018–2019Lietkabelis
2019Kymis
2019–2020Igokea
2020Nevėžis Kėdainiai
2020–2021Juventus Utena
2021–2022Rytas Vilnius
2022Brose Bamberg
2022–2023Rapid București
2023–presentBC Wolves
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Lithuania
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
Silver medal – second place 2009 Lithuania Team

Professional career

edit
 
Kariniauskas with the Rytas Vilnius during the 2022 LKL Finals

Kariniauskas won the NKL bronze in 2012 and 2013 with BC Žalgiris-2.[1] On 19 November 2013, he was loaned to BC Lietkabelis in order to get more playing time.[2] After his loan spell, he rejoined Žalgiris for the 2014–15 season, winning the LKL league and the LKF Cup.[3]

On 19 June 2015, Kariniauskas signed a 1+1 year deal with Kymis of the Greek A2 Basket League.[4]

On 18 August 2016, Kariniauskas signed with Italian club Pallacanestro Cantù of the LBA.[5] On 1 February 2017, he parted ways with Cantù.[6] The same day, he signed with Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca.[7]

On 22 July 2021, Kariniauskas signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[8]

On 2 August 2022, Kariniauskas signed a one-year deal with Brose Bamberg of the German Basketball Bundesliga.[9]

On 8 December 2022, Kariniauskas signed with Rapid București of the Romanian Liga Națională.[10]

On 14 September 2023, Kariniauskas signed a two-year contract with BC Wolves of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroCup.[11]

National team career

edit

Kariniauskas was an active participant on youth competitions and won a silver medal at the 2009 European U-16 Championship. In 2015 ,he was included into the Lithuania men's national basketball team head coach Jonas Kazlauskas extended candidates list.[12] Though, he was not invited to the training camp later on.[13] He was invited to the training camp the following year.[14] Firstly, Kariniauskas did not qualify for the Olympic roster, but later on he replaced Edgaras Ulanovas due to injury.[15]

In 2023, Kariniauskas represented Lithuania at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. On 3 September 2023, he scored a team-high 15 points, along with four rebounds and two assists, leading Lithuania to a 110–104 win over the United States.[16]

References

edit
  1. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Zalgiris guard Vaidas Kariniauskas loaned to Lietkabelis". Sportando.com. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Zalgiris Kaunas brings back Edgaras Ulanovas and Vaidas Kariniauskas". Sportando.com. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Kariniauskas signs Kimi deal!". SDNA.gr. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  5. ^ Pallacanestro Cantù signs Vaidas Kariniauskas
  6. ^ Cantù parts ways with Vaidas Kariniauskas
  7. ^ Vaidas Kariniauskas inks with U-BT Cluj-Napoca
  8. ^ Skerletic, Dario (21 July 2021). "Rytas Vilnius inks Vaidas Kariniauskas". Sportando. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Vaidas Kariniauskas verstärkt Brose Bamberg". bblprofis.de (in German). 2 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Oficial. Vaidas Kariniauskas revine în România și va juca pentru Rapid". Baschet.ro (in Romanian). 8 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Wolves sign Vaidas Kariniauskas, Cedevita Olimpija tabs Jaka Klobucar". Eurohoops. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Paviešintas Lietuvos rinktinės kandidatų sąrašas". Delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  13. ^ "J. Kazlausko sprendimas: paaiškėjo, kurie krepšininkai ruošis Europos čempionatui". Delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  14. ^ "J. Kazlauskas apsisprendė: rinktinės sąrašas – be L. Lekavičiaus, bet su naujais veidais". Krepsinis.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  15. ^ Miklovas, Jonas. "Olimpinėse žaidynėse debiutuosiantis Vaidas Kariniauskas: "Vykau su mintimi, kad turiu šansą patekti"". BasketNews.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Lithuania stun USA at Basketball World Cup but Americans still progress". The Guardian. Associated Press. 3 September 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
edit