In the same day in which Anthony Parker leaves to Toronto, Simas Jasaitis signs with Maccabi Tel Aviv on a 3-year deal. He'll play under coach Spahija, who also arrives to Maccabi from Rytas.
After 5 years in Leitovas Rytas, Simas Jasaitis arrives to Maccabi Tel Aviv with his coach from last year, Neven Spahija. The Lithuanian forward won the ULEB Cup in 2005, scoring 16 points in the final, and played a major role in Rytas big 2006 success: Lithuanian and Baltic league championship, and Top 16 in the Euroleague.
In his first Euroleague season, Jasaitis averaged 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, with nearly 40% accuracy from downtown. He scored his season-high 21 points in Rytas' second win over Maccabi in the Regular season.
Jasaitis will play this summer with Lithuania in the World Championship, after averaging 7.3 points and 2.7 rebounds last summer in Eurobasket 2005. He was also the last player to be cut out of his national team roster for Athens 2004.
Jasaitis is a rising star in Europe, and was also rumoured to be linked with Barcelona, Olympiakos and other European powerhouses. His biggest problem so far is his stability - last season he scored in the Euroleague 15+ points in 6 games, but also 6 points or less exactly the same amount of games.
He becomes the second ever Lithuanian player to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv, and just like the previous one, Sarunas Jasikevicius, he'll probably wear jersey number 13.
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Jasaitis. Maccabi's Newest Arrival |