Not every European basketball legend is able to be successful as a player and coach, but Sarunas Jasikevicius certainly has managed to do so. By making it to Belgrade this season, "Saras" has become the first person ever to participate in at least three Final Fours as a player and three more as a head coach.
Final Four head coach: Sarunas Jasikevicius, Barcelona
Final Four
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Jasikevicius won four Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles as a superstar point guard for FC Barcelona, Maccabi Tel Aviv – twice – and Panathinaikos Athens. Indeed, he is the only player in EuroLeague history to win the crown with three different teams.
Before Jasikevicius arrived, Barca had not qualified to the Final Four since 2014 and had not won a semifinal since last going on to lift the trophy in 2010. Things changed in the 2020-21 campaign, when Jasikevicius guided his first Barca team all the way to the EuroLeague Championship Game before losing against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He also led Barca to its first Spanish double – league and cup titles – since 2011.
Jasikevicius started his coaching career with Zalgiris Kaunas, first as an assistant before moving to the head of the bench in January 2016. He took Zalgiris to the 2018 Final Four in what was the club's first appearance in European club basketball's signature event since its title-winning season in 1999. His ties to Barcelona are strong, too, as Jasikevicius was the starting point guard when the club won its long-awaited first EuroLeague crown in 2003.
Over the last two seasons, Barca has thrilled fans at Palau Blaugrana with high-energy basketball at both ends, with loads of defensive pressure, outstanding ball circulation and efficient offense. No EuroLeague team has taken more two-point shots in that span and none except Barca has averaged more than 40% efficiency from beyond the arc during that time.
Jasikevicius has managed to keep everyone on a very talented roster happy with their roles and involved in the collective success. Should they all make one more step together in Belgrade than they did last year, Saras will add to his growing legacy by becoming just the third person in over 60 years to win the EuroLeague as both a player and a coach.