LAS VEGAS — At a career crossroads and unsure about his next stop, Rokas Jokubaitis believes he’s ready for the NBA.
“With years of maturity, experience I have from Europe, I think I’m ready,” Jokubaitis said. “And I would like to come here.”
Of course, the desire has to match from both sides and there’s been no word from the Knicks, good or bad, about their appetite for signing Jokubaitis to an NBA contract.
League on July 13, feels he’s finally NBA-ready. NBAE via Getty Images
As New York’s 34th pick in the 2021 draft, Jokubaitis spent the last three seasons stashed overseas and returned to the Summer League Knicks this month with mixed results — including his five assists, two steals and 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting in Wednesday’s 106-105 win over the Kings.
It was Jokubaitis’ best performance of the summer, a window into his potential as a playmaker/shotmaker with a high IQ.
On one play in the third quarter, Jokubaitis cheekily snuck behind a Sacramento player holding the ball, stripped it and jammed it in front of Knicks executives Frank Zanin and Brock Aller.
“He was aggressive on both sides of the floor,” Knicks coach Dice Yoshimoto said. “He got into the ball better. He’s understanding the defensive schemes better. He’s done a great job so far watching the film.”
The previous games weren’t as promising for Jokubaitis, and the Knicks have tellingly brought him off the bench behind Tyler Kolek, who hit the game-winner Wednesday on an and-1 lay-up with 2.4 seconds left.
Jokubaitis watched that dramatic finish from the bench, but Wednesday was nonetheless the high mark of his appearances in Vegas.
Over his three games this summer, Jokubaitis averaged 9.3 points, 2.7 assists and shooting 71 percent in 17 minutes. The 23-year-old, who was drafted by the Knicks two spots ahead of Miles McBride, acknowledged an adjustment to the less organized style of Summer League.
FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament game earlier this month. AP
“There are a lot of different things between this basketball and European basketball,” said Jokubaitis, who played the last three seasons with European powerhouse Barcelona in Spain. “Here, there’s not so much rules or play, just to feel your teammates.
“So it’s a good thing for me to know as many basketball [styles as possible]. European, American basketball, as many as possible because I don’t know where I’m going to play in my life.”
Jokubaitis’ next destination is up in the air. He’s under contract with Barcelona for another season, but rumors and reports suggest the team will pivot elsewhere for a point guard, specifically toward Spurs draft pick Juan Nunez.
Jokubaitis, a lefty combo guard, confirmed that he’s in talks to rejoin Zalgiris, a pro team in his home nation of Lithuania. However, he rejected reports that it’s a done deal.
“The whole Europe is talking about it,” Jokubaitis said. “But I still have a contract with Barcelona. It’s more of like we’re in talks [with Zalgiris] but not very near to signing. Still, I have a contract with Barca, and in a few weeks we will see where I will go. But now I have a few games in Summer League and we’ll see.”
The most difficult path, though often the most lucrative, is through the NBA. But the Knicks’ guard rotation is full after the signing of Cam Payne, and Jokubaitis has played in the highest levels of Europe.
He’s open to anything.
“At this point I don’t have any preference. I played my whole life in Europe but I always wanted to come back here to see myself how I would do here,” he said. “My options are free and why not try it here also?”