Those creating the new Vilnius basketball clubBasketball Holding Company“ (BHC) President Rimantas Kaukėnas revealed more details about the upcoming team in an exclusive interview. R. Kaukėnas emphasized that the club will fight for the first places from the beginning, will seek to involve fans and become an important part of society.
"We want the club to be different: progressive, transparent, more about involving people in the club's activities. To make people feel part of that club. The most important thing is for the club to be transparent and move forward, creating basketball culture, community and showing respect to everyone around," said the BHC president.
"Basketball is a sport and the religion of Lithuania, on which the attitude of all people depends. This affects society, so we hope to help get involved and become an important part of society, especially in Vilnius," added R. Kaukėnas.
Other clubs will have to step up
The former member of the Lithuanian national basketball team is convinced that the emergence of new, competitive clubs is a welcome thing, as it increases healthy competition and forces other teams to improve.
"I think that the emergence of new clubs is only good, and if a competitive club appears, it is only welcome. Especially if the new club has big ambitions and takes all that fight only to the pitch, not outside of it. We strive for the club to be respectful not only to itself, but also to everyone around, to other clubs, and the fight will be only on the field and there will be no strange things outside of it," emphasizes the basketball player who ended his professional career in 2018.
"We hope to help Lithuanian basketball and contribute to healthy competition, which helps other clubs to stretch and grow." This is very important, because the more strong clubs - the more interesting it is to watch the competition, the more spectators will come and the more children will play sports. Therefore, it will only be better for everyone", R. Kaukėnas is convinced.
A coach is the key to success
Speaking about the first steps, the president of "Basketball Holding Company" does not hide that there are currently talks with various Lithuanian basketball organizations and basketball players' agents, but he emphasizes that the formation of the team will have to start with the coach.
"We are turning over a new leaf, so everything is starting from scratch. We are currently talking to teams, organizations and LKL for the first steps. We also hold talks with agents, try to find out the players' contract situations and "scout", says the athlete who grew up in Vilnius.
"When it comes to players, the coach's vision is very important. I would like to work together with the coach and fulfill his vision, because I think this is the main key to success. The players need to match the coach's style and play their roles correctly. That's why our first job at home is coaching," adds R. Kaukėnas.
Competition for the first places
R. Kaukėnas, who has played in more than ten clubs in different countries during his professional career, says that the highest goals will be set for the new Vilnius team from the very beginning.
"We want to grow rapidly and be very ambitious. We want to attract the best players possible, even though we don't know whether we will play in Europe or not. In any case, in the LKL we want to compete for the first places. "Zalgiris" is very strong, but we will try to be competitive", says the president of BHC.
"I am extremely grateful for the support. We hope that everything goes as planned, but we fully understand that anything can happen, because this is sport. But life does not stop - we will go forward. It's encouraging to see support from friends, family and those around you. We hope to justify our hopes", adds R. Kaukėnas.
