By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a career of 16 years, filled with many team trophies and individual distinctions, Lithuanian guard Rimantas Kaukenas announced his retirement from basketball at age 39.
“I took this difficult decision because of a combination of different factors, but mainly for health reasons”, explained Kaukenas. “I do not want to find myself again injured for 2-3 or maybe even 4 months with the risk of a surgery that could hurt my team. I think it is time to give space to young people of Reggio Emilia boys so that they take more responsibility, because they all have the skills for that.”
“It’s the hardest decision of my life”, he continued. “It took a bit of time to reflect on my last season, my career and my family. I have decided to close this chapter of my life and retire from basketball. Undoubtedly the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make in my life, because basketball has occupied most of it. Basketball has given to me, to my family and to my friends. It has given us extraordinary education and made us understand and learn the true values of family, giving me extraordinary life lessons and giving me the joy of victory… and the sadness of defeats.”
“For all the good times and difficult ones through whom I have gone, i have to thank my father and my mother, my mentors in the US, my wife and my children, coaches and teammates, managers and trainers, the doctors and physical therapists and even referees for putting up with this stubborn Lithuanian. I also thank all the friends and all those who helped me during every step of the way … I know it was not easy for you to hear me speak just basketball, hear me exclaim continually “it is not enough … not good … you need something more, push more … need to do better’. Imagine all this with my Lithuanian accent! At least I think that the referees will be among the happiest people who learn about my retirement.”, he jokingly said.
During his long career, Kaunenas has won the Italian League five times (2007-2009, 2011, 2012, all with Montepaschi Siena) while being crowned Lithuanian champion twice, in 2002 with Lietuvos Rytas and in 2013 with Zalgiris Kaunas. In 2014 he celebrated the Eurochallenge trophy with Reggio Emilia, the team that would be the last station of his career.
He was a bronze medalist with the Lithuanian national team in the Eurobasket of 2007.