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.

Townsville made its long-anticipated entry into the NBL in 1993, joining the competition as the newly established “Townsville Suns.” Under the guidance of local head coach Mark Bragg and led on court by inaugural captain Graham Kubank, the Suns assembled a roster built around local talent—including David Blades, Lucas Agrums, Jason Cameron, Tonny Jensen, and Kubank himself—most of whom had featured for Townsville’s state league side. To bolster their debut lineup, the club recruited imports Ricky Jones and Rimas Kurtinaitis.

Kurtinaitis, a 33-year-old Lithuanian Olympian, broke new ground as the first European-born player to serve as an import in the NBL. Townsville’s introduction to the league was challenging, with the team losing its opening four games before claiming a historic first win on May 14—a 98–89 triumph over Newcastle. In front of a raucous sell-out crowd, Kurtinaitis and Jones combined for over 50 points to seal the breakthrough, snapping their early-season skid and confirming the Suns’ arrival on the national stage.

Arguably the club’s best win came in Round 11, when they stunned the Adelaide 36ers 105–103 on the road. Kurtinaitis erupted for 41 points, while Jones chipped in 26 points and 12 rebounds, guiding Townsville to just its third win of the year. Despite flashes of brilliance, consistency proved elusive, and the Suns concluded their first season at the bottom of the ladder with a 4–22 record.

The final win of the season came in one of the most entertaining games of the year—a 125–124 thriller over Geelong on August 13. With Kurtinaitis (24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists) having exited five games earlier to join Real Madrid, Ricky Jones stepped up once again to lead the charge, outdueling Shane Heal and the Supercats in a fast-paced shootout. Kurtinaitis’ departure had been marked by an emotional farewell at The Furnace, where a capacity crowd chanted “goodbye” in Lithuanian as he took a lap of honour.

Jones (28.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 blocks) emerged as one of the league’s most dominant offensive players and also led the NBL in blocks. His debut was unforgettable—dropping 47 points in a 110–106 loss to Newcastle on April 17—and his 30-point scoring streak extended to 20 games across the season. His efforts earned him the club’s inaugural MVP honour, the Kevin Sugars Medal.

Supporting Jones and Kurtinaitis was a group of locals who made valuable contributions throughout the campaign. David Blades (11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists) played a key leadership role in the backcourt, while Tonny Jensen (9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) and Brian Andrews (10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) provided additional perimeter production. Lucas Agrums (8.6 points, 5.4 rebounds), Jason Cameron (5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), and captain Graham Kubank (6.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists) contributed consistently in support roles.

While the Suns’ inaugural campaign ended with just four wins, it was filled with historic firsts and moments of promise. The team set an NBL benchmark for fan engagement, selling out every home game at the Townsville Entertainment Centre and energising North Queensland’s basketball community.

Rimas Kurtinaitis played one season in the NBL. He averaged 24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 21 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:

– 42nd in points per game.