Zalgiris Kaunas
Zalgiris Kaunas is a synonym for basketball in Lithuania, a country that lives and breathes the sport. Founded in 1944, it needed just three years to win its first Soviet championship. Four more Soviet titles followed, with triumphs in 1985 through 1987 marking the team’s first golden age. Led by club legend Arvydas Sabonis, Zalgiris lost the 1984 Saporta Cup final to Barcelona and came up short in the 1986 EuroLeague Championship Game against Cibona Zagreb. After Lithuania gained its independence in 1990, Zalgiris won the first nine Lithuanian League championships and also lifted its first-ever European trophy, the 1997-98 Saporta Cup in 1998, downing Adecco Milan in the title game. A year later, Zalgiris shocked the continent by winning the 1999 EuroLeague behind an inspiring performance from Final Four MVP Tyus Edney. In 2004, Zalgiris was one win away from reaching the Final Four, but lost a do-or-die Top 16 finale in overtime against eventual champ Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2018, Zalgiris returned to the EuroLeague Final Four, where it lost against Fenerbahce Istanbul in the semifinals. Last season, Sylvain Francisco led Zalgiris to its 25th Lithuanian League crown and it also lifted the King Mindaugas Cup. In addition to being the team to beat in Lithuania, Zalgiris now looks for a longer run in this season's EuroLeague.
