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2005-06:
The oldest (30) rookie in the NBA, he broke a Pacers' rookie record that had stood for 18 years by making 86 3-pt FGS this season. That topped the 61 of Reggie Miller in 1987-88. One of two Pacers' rookies to be named to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend, he scored three points (1-3 3-pt FGS) and dealt one assist in 13 minutes off the bench in that game. One of the top foul shooters in the NBA for much of the season, he shot 121-133 FTS (.910), but fell short of the league minimum (125 FTM) to be included in the final rankings. He ended the season having made 32 straight free throws, but attempted just one foul shot in his last six games. One of two Pacers' players to make an appearance in each of the team's first 60 games, he played at least 13 minutes in all but one of those games. From 3/13 to 3/29, he played in just three of 10 contests--drawing seven DNP-CDs and totaling 22 minutes. His appearance vs. Denver, 3/15, consisted of the final 2.2 seconds of the game. He finished the season by playing in each of the team's last 12 contests and averaging 13.9 mpg in that span. He started 15 games and averaged 8.7 ppg and 4.3 apg as a starter. He shot better from the foul line (.922) as a reserve than he did as a starter (.867). Including 10-10 FTS, he scored in double figures for the first time in his NBA career with 14 points vs. Charlotte, 11/18. That game vs the Bobcats was the first of 10 double-figures scoring efforts in the next 15 games. In those 15 games, he averaged 11.8 ppg and saw his average for the season rise from 6.0 ppg to a season-best 10.0 ppg. That 10-10 FTS effort against the Bobcats was one of just four this season in which a Pacers' player attempted at least 10 free throws and made all of them. Including a season-high 20 points vs. Seattle, 1/2, he scored 10+ points 13 times in his last 53 outings. Notching the first points-assists double-double by a Pacers' rookie since Jamaal Tinsley in 2001-02, he had 14 points and 11 assists at Washington, 3/1. That was one of just four games of 10+ assists by a Pacers' player this season. Following that game against the Wizards, he scored in double figures just three times in his last 21 games. Through the season's first 39 games, he was among the league's top 3-pt marksmen, having shot 56-136 (.412) from long range. In those first 39 games, he made at least two 3-pt FGS 16 times. From that point on, he shot 31-100 3-pt FGS (.310) and made more than one 3-pt FG 10 times. In scoring a bench-high 17 points vs. Cleveland, 11/24, he shot 6-9 FGS and hit 5-6 3-pt FGS. His five 3-pt FGS were his season-high and tied the most by any Pacers' player until the arrival of Peja Stojakovic. He had at least one steal in 17 of the first 22 games of the season and was ranked among the league's top 40 with an average of 1.14 spg. He totaled 15 thefts in his last 53 games and had one steal in his last 19 appearances. He had multiple steals nine times, including six of the first 18 games. He had a season-high three steals twice: at Phoenix, 11/30, and at New York, 12/17. He flirted with a triple-double twice in the span of three games, scoring 16 points with nine assists and seven rebounds at Seattle, 12/4, and then posting 12 points with eight rebounds and seven assists vs. Washington, 12/8. Averaging 2.0 rpg this season, he had four or more rebounds 13 times, including a career-high eight in that game vs. Washington, 12/8.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
2004-05
A member of the Euroleague champion for the third consecutive season, he helped lead Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv to its second straight "Triple Crown," as it won the Premier League title, the Israeli Cup title and the championship of the Euroleague…Maccabi has won all three titles in five different seasons, more than any other team in European basketball history…the Premier League championship was his fifth straight league title with three different teams in three different countries…in Premier League play, Maccabi was 21-1 and won its 13th consecutive league title…in the Premier League, he averaged 12.4 ppg and a team-best 5.0 apg, which ranked fourth best in the league…he ranked fifth in the league and third on the team in 3-pt FG percentage (.512)…in 24 Euroleague games, he averaged 15.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.3 apg…he shot 47.6 percent from the floor overall and hit 39.8 percent from 3-pt range…he had his best game in the Euroleague vs. a team from his home country, Zalgiris Kaunas where he scored a season-best 34 points, including 14-15 FT…he added five assists and two steals in that game…he opened the Euroleague playoffs with his only double-double vs. Ulker Istanbul, scoring 21 points and handing out 10 assists.
2003-04
In 21 appearances during the Israeli Premier League season, he averaged 12.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 5.2 apg and 1.1 spg…in Euroleague play, he averaged 15.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg and 4.7 apg in 21 games…in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, he was second on the team in scoring with 14.1 ppg…he also averaged team-bests of 5.6 apg and 1.38 spg in the eight-game tournament…in a 94-90 victory over the United States, he had a hand in nearly half the team's 28 field goals…in that game, he scored 28 points on 9-14 FG, 7-12 3-pt, and 3-3 FT and added a team-high four assists…in the bronze medal game vs. the U.S., he scored 15 points with four assists in a 96-104 loss.
2002-03
The ACB League Finals MVP for F.C. Barcelona, he averaged 11.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg and 3.3 apg in 34 regular season games…in 21 Euroleague games, he averaged 13.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.2 apg…he led Lithuania to a gold medal in the 2003 European Championship and was named the tournament MVP.
2001-02
In 30 ACB League games for F.C. Barcelona, he averaged 14.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.4 apg and 1.3 spg…in 18 Euroleague games he averaged 11.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.9…he also played for Lithuania in the 2001 European Championships.
2000-01
He helped lead F.C. Barcelona to the Spanish National Championship by averaging 15.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 2.0 apg…he ranked fifth in the Spanish ACB league in assists…in Euroleague play, he averaged 13.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, and 5.8 apg…he ranked third in Euroleague in assists…he played for Lithuania in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where he helped lead his team to the bronze medal by averaging 14.0 ppg, including 27 points vs. the U.S. team…he ranked third in the Olympics with 5.1 apg.
1999-00
Following a season in his home country, he went on to play for Union Olimpija Ljubljana in Slovenia…for Union Olimpija, he averaged 9.7 ppg and 3.2 apg…in Euroleague play, he averaged a league best 4.9 apg…he also played for his home country in the 1999 European Championships.
1998-99
After graduating from the University of Maryland, he was not drafted by a NBA team and he returned to Lithuania where he signed with Lietuvos Rytas…a league All-Star for Rytas, he handed out 5.4 apg, which led the Lithuanian League.
COLLEGE
He finished his career at the University of Maryland third in school history in 3-pt FG made (136) and attempted (363)…his career-best 60 3-pt FGS during his senior season represented the third highest total in school annals…he was one of eight players in Maryland history to have appeared in four straight NCAA tournaments.
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