| Marius Leonavičius | |
| Team: | BC Wolves |
| Position: | Assistant coach |
| Birth Date: | 18 August 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Prienai, Lithuania |
| Nationality: | Lithuanian |
| Coach Start: | 2013 |
| Cyears1: | 2014–2021 |
| Cteam1: | Labas Gas Prienai (assistant) |
| Cyears2: | 2021–2022 |
| Cteam2: | Labas Gas Prienai |
| Cteam3: | JL Bourg (U18) |
| Cyears3: | 2022–2023 |
| Cteam4: | BC Wolves (assistant) |
| Cyears4: | 2023–present |
| Highlights: | As assistant coach
|
Marius Leonavičius (born August 18, 1984 in Prienai, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian basketball coach. Currently he is serving as an assistant coach for the BC Wolves of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroCup .[1]
After graduating from Lithuanian Sports University (Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education at the time) Leonavičius started his coaching career in Dublin, Ireland coaching for a local basketball club Tolka Rovers. In 2012, he became an assistant coach for the Trinity College Dublin men's basketball team.[2] Several months later he was appointed as the head men's basketball coach.
In 2013, Leonavičius returned home to Lithuania and started coaching in his hometown of Prienai.[3] He was the head coach of U18 and U16 boys basketball teams.
At the beginning of the 2014-15 season, Leonavičius was signed as an assistant coach for the BC Prienai (later on known as Skycop / Vytautas / Labas Gas) of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[4] During his tenure as an assistant, he coached under legendary Lithuanian coach Virginijus Šeškus, as well as Mantas Šernius, who was named Lithuanian Basketball League's Coach of the year in his final season in 2021.
During the 2017-18 season, BC Vytautas signed LiAngelo and LaMelo, brothers of National Basketball Association (NBA) player Lonzo Ball. Leonavičius and the BC Vytautas team since then was part of the Ball in the Family reality show featuring LaVar Ball, the worldwide known media personality and businessman.During the 2020 NBA draft LaMelo Ball was selected with the 3rd overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets.
At the start of the 2021-22 season, after serving as an assistant coach for 7 seasons, Leonavičius was signed as the head coach for the Labas Gas.
During the 2021-22 season, the Labas Gas competed in King Mindaugas Cup and won 4 games out of 8, however, it was not enough to qualify to the next stage of the competition. In the Lithuanian Basketball League the team started the season with a 0-10 record and in late November the club management decided to make a coaching change, offering Leonavičius the opportunity to stay on as an assistant coach. However, after declining the offer he decided to leave the club.
For the 2022-23 season, he signed with the French powerhouse JL Bourg to serve as the head coach of the club's youth U18 program and as an assistant coach of the U21 team.[5]
At the beginning of April, he left France to join BC Wolves of the Lithuanian basketball league.[6]
At the end of the 2022-23 season, Leonavicius returned to Lithuania to join the BC Wolves staff as an assistant coach, upon the invitation of legendary Lithuanian basketball coach Kestutis Kemzura.[7] The club finished 3rd in the regular season of the Lithuanian basketball league but failed to advance to the semifinals. In the Northern European Basketball League, they lost in the finals and finished 2nd.
The 2023-24 season was relatively better, with the club again finishing 3rd in the regular season and advancing to the semifinals. However, they ultimately lost to the future champions BC Rytas 2-3, finishing 4th in the final standings. The club also had its first season playing in the EuroCup, but their 8-10 regular season record was not enough to qualify for the playoffs.
Leonavicius served as an assistant coach for several Lithuanian youth national teams in various competitions, including the FIBA U18 Men's European Championship in 2022, the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship in 2023, and the FIBA U17 Men's World Cup in 2024.
[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]