Graham Kubank
July 23, 2020
Rimas Kurtinaitis
- Nationality: LTU
- Date of Birth: 15/5/1960
- Place of Birth: Kaunas (Lithuania)
- Position: G/F
- Height (CM): 196
- Weight (KG): 94
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 17/04/93
- AGE AT DEBUT: 32
- LAST NBL GAME: 28/08/93
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 33
- NBL History: Townsville 1993
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Rimas Kurtinaitis was born in Kaunas (Lithuania). Kurtinaitis’ former club team’s as a player, include Žalgiris Kaunas, CSKA Moscow, and Real Madrid. He was the only European player to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend’s Three-Point Contest, without ever playing in the NBA at one point, participating in the event in 1989.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Rimas Kurtinaitis made his NBL debut with the Townsville Suns at 32 years of age. He scored 17 points in his first game.
Kurtinaitis was also the first European born player to play as a import, in Australia’s NBL, while playing for the Townsville Suns in 1993.
Rimas Kurtinaitis played one season in the NBL. He averaged 24.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 21 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 41st in points per game.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 33 | Townsville | 4-22 (14) | 21 | 825.0 | 518 | 108 | 53 | 49 | 59 | 37 | 17 | 62 | 88 | 183 | 414 | 44% | 58 | 170 | 34% | 94 | 115 | 82% | 55% | 51% | 41 | Totals | 21 | 825 | 518 | 108 | 53 | 49 | 59 | 37 | 17 | 62 | 88 | 183 | 414 | 44.2% | 58 | 170 | 34.1% | 94 | 115 | 81.7% | 56% | 51% | 41 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 33 | Townsville | 4-22 (14) | 21 | 39.3 | 24.7 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 8.7 | 19.7 | 44% | 2.8 | 8.1 | 34% | 4.5 | 5.5 | 82% | 55% | 51% | 41 | Total | 21 | 39.3 | 24.7 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 8.7 | 19.7 | 44.2% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 34.1% | 2.8 | 8.1 | 81.7% | 56% | 51% | 41 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 41 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Rimas Kurtinaitis played in four major FIBA tournaments for Lithuania/USSR (1986, 1988, 1992, 1996).
FIBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 36 | 8 | 220 | 97 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 18 | 31 | 71 | 43.7% | 24 | 50 | 48.0% | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
| 1992 | 32 | 8 | 265 | 130 | 18 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 29 | 4 | 17 | 30 | 43 | 97 | 44.3% | 21 | 51 | 41.2% | 23 | 28 | 82.1% |
| 1988 | 28 | 8 | 176 | 107 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 34 | 74 | 45.9% | 20 | 42 | 47.6% | 19 | 22 | 86.4% |
| 1986 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 10 | 15 | 66.7% | Total | 34 | 661 | 477 | 63 | 38 | 25 | 38 | 39 | 6 | 66 | 68 | 108 | 242 | 45% | 65 | 143 | 45% | 63 | 80 | 79% |
FIBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 36 | 8 | 27.5 | 12.1 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 8.9 | 43.7% | 3.0 | 6.3 | 48.0% | 1.4 | 1.9 | 73.3% |
| 1992 | 32 | 8 | 33.1 | 16.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 12.1 | 44.3% | 2.6 | 6.4 | 41.2% | 2.9 | 3.5 | 82.1% |
| 1988 | 28 | 8 | 22.0 | 13.4 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 9.3 | 45.9% | 2.5 | 5.3 | 47.6% | 2.4 | 2.8 | 86.4% |
| 1986 | 26 | 10 | 0.0 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 1.0 | 1.5 | 66.7% | Total | 34 | 19.4 | 14.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 7.1 | 45% | 1.9 | 4.2 | 45% | 1.9 | 2.4 | 79% |
NBA EXPERIENCE
He is the only non-NBA player to ever participate at the NBA All-Star Weekends Three-Point Contest, doing so in 1989, where he scored 9 points.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Azerbaijan - Gala Baku (2002-2006) | France - Chalon (1996-1997) | Germany - Hagan (1989-1992) | Lithuania - Zalgiris (1983-1989, 1992, 1995-1996), Atletas (1997–1998), Lietuvos Rytas (1998–1999) | Russia - CSKA Moscow (1981-1983) | Spain - Huesca (1989-1992), Real Madrid (1993-1995) | Ukraine - BC Kyiv (2001–2002)
AWARDS
- As player:
FIBA Saporta Cup Finals Top Scorer (1985)
-
Spanish League champion (1994)
-
5× USSR League champion (1982, 1983, 1985–1987)
-
German League Top Scorer (1990)
-
Lithuanian All-Star Game MVP (1995).
As head coach:
:
3× EuroCup champion (2009, 2012, 2015)
-
VTB United League champion (2011)
-
VTB United League Coach of the Year (2014)
-
VTB United League Hall of Fame (2019)
-
2× Lithuanian LKL League champion (2009, 2010)
-
2× Lithuanian Federation Cup winner (2009, 2010)
-
Baltic BBL League champion (2009)
COACHING HISTORY
In 1997, Kurtinaitis was named to the Lithuanian Ministry of Sport. In the years 2002–2006, he took the position of head coach of the Azerbaijan national basketball team. Also from 2002 to 2006, he was a player for four seasons, with Gala Baku, working as a player-coach.
He became Sakalai's head coach during the mid-2000s. In December 2007, he became the head coach of the Polish League men's basketball team, Śląsk Wrocław.
In 2008, he became head coach of Lietuvos Rytas, with whom, he won the EuroCup 2008/09 season's title. After winning the championship at the Final-Eight tournament, in Turin (Torino), Italy, in a game against Khimki Moscow Region (final score 80–74).
In 2012, Kurtinaitis won the EuroCup again, this time with Khimki. As of 2015, he is the only coach to win the EuroCup three times. On June 21, 2012, Kurtinaitis was named the best EuroCup coach of all time. On March 15, 2016, Khimki parted ways with Kurtinaitis.
On August 2, 2016, Kurtinaitis become the head coach of Pallacanestro Cantù, of the Italian LBA. However, on November 30, he was fired from the team.
Kurtinaitis agreed to return to Lietuvos rytas, on February 10, 2017, following the resignation of Tomas Pačėsas, from the club's head coaching position. This tenure with Rytas was not as successful – Rytas only finished in 3rd place in the LKL in the 2016–2017 season, a fiasco for the team. In the 2017–2018 season, the team played much better, reaching the Eurocup Top16 phase, as well as reaching the KMT and LKL finals, but lost each to Žalgiris Kaunas. In what stirred a lot of controversy, it was announced during the semi finals of the LKL that Kurtinaitis would be replaced by Dainius Adomaitis in the following season, and in June Kurtinaitis left the team.
On January 21, 2019, Kurtinaitis returned to Khimki in a surprising decision. Two years later, on January 15, 2021, he was dismissed from this position because of unsatisfactory results.
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
