The story of Lithuanian basketball is closely linked to the club Žalgiris Kaunas (say: ZHAL-ghee-ris), based in Lithuania's second city. Žalgiris — which means 'green forest' — has won the EuroLeague Championship, the top prize in European club basketball, and is famous throughout the continent. Their home arena holds over 15,000 fans, and the atmosphere on match nights is electric.
Lithuania first competed as an independent team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and won the Bronze Medal — still celebrated today. After Lithuania re-established its independence in 1990, the national team quickly became one of Europe's most feared. They have won the European Championship multiple times and reached the Olympic podium on several occasions.
Some of the world's greatest basketball players have come from Lithuania, including Arvydas Sabonis — often called the greatest European centre in history — and Šarūnas Marčiulionis, who became one of the first Europeans to play successfully in the NBA. Today, younger Lithuanian stars continue to appear in the world's top leagues.
Basketball is played everywhere in Lithuania — in school yards, on street courts, in gyms across tiny villages. Children start playing young, and the coaching system is excellent. Scouts from major European clubs regularly visit Lithuanian youth competitions looking for the next generation of talent.