Giedrius Žibėnas Explained

Giedrius Žibėnas
Team:Rytas Vilnius
Position:Head coach
League:Lithuanian Basketball League
Champions League
Birth Date:6 April 1984
Birth Place:Kaunas, Lithuania
Nationality:Lithuanian
Coach Start:2012
Cyears1:2012–2014
Cteam1:Zanavykas Šakiai
Cyears2:2014–2015
Cteam2:Sūduva-Mantinga
Cyears3:2015–2016
Cteam3:Czarni Słupsk (assistant)
Cyears4:2016
Cteam4:Palayesh Naft Abadan BC
Cyears5:2017
Cteam5:Copenhagen Wolfpack
Cyears6:2017–2018
Cteam6:BC Kalev (assistant)
Cyears7:2018–2019
Cyears8:2019–2020
Cteam8:Prawira Bandung
Cyears9:2020–2021
Cteam9:Rytas Vilnius (assistant)
Cyears10:2021–present
Cyears11:2021–present
Cteam11:Lithuania (assistant)
Highlights:As head coach:

As assistant coach:

Giedrius Žibėnas (born 6 April 1984) is a Lithuanian professional basketball coach. He is currently the head coach for Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the Champions League.[1]

Coaching career

Žibėnas started his coaching career in 2012 with Zanavykas Šakiai of the NKL, the second division of Lithuania.[2] He later worked as an assistant coach with the Polish club Czarni Słupsk.

On 8 August 2018, Žibėnas was named the head coach of Stapac Jakarta of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL).[3] He led the club to its fifth IBL championship in the 2018–19 season.

In June 2020, Žibėnas returned to Lithuania and signed with Rytas Vilnius as an assistant coach under Donaldas Kairys.[4] In January 2021, he replaced Kairys as head coach of Rytas.[5] Later that season, he signed a new one-year contract with the club.[6] On 13 June 2022, Žibėnas received the LKL Coach of the Year award after leading Rytas to their sixth Lithuanian championship.[7] In the 2023–24 season, he guided the team to another LKL title by defeating rivals Žalgiris Kaunas 3–1 in the final series.

National team coaching career

In October 2021, Žibėnas joined the Lithuania national team as an assistant coach under Kazys Maksvytis.[8] He was a staff member at EuroBasket 2022 and 2023 FIBA World Cup.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: „Rytas“ — BC "Rytas". www.rytasvilnius.lt.
  2. Web site: Giedrius Žibėnas / Personalas. basketnews.lt.
  3. Web site: Netradicinis pasirinkimas: Giedrius Žibėnas imasi treniruoti Indonezijos klubą. basketnews.lt. lt. 8 August 2018. 12 July 2024.
  4. Web site: Vilniaus „Ryto“ strategas išsirinko asistentus. DELFI. 16 June 2020.
  5. Web site: Donaldas Kairys – atleistas: „Rytas“ turės naują trenerį. 15min.lt/24sek. 16 January 2021.
  6. Web site: Užsitarnavo vietą: „Rytas“ pratęsė sutartį su treneriu Giedriumi Žibėnu. www.lrytas.lt. 24 May 2021.
  7. Web site: „Rytą“ į išsvajotas pergales vedęs Žibėnas tapo LKL metų treneriu. basketnews.lt. lt. 13 June 2022. 12 July 2024.
  8. Web site: Maksvytis suformavo trenerių štabą: į rinktinę sugrįžta Kemzūra. basketnews.lt. lt. 5 October 2021. 12 July 2024.