Rimantas Kaukėnas Explained

Rimantas Kaukėnas
Position:Shooting guard
Height Cm:192
Weight Kg:92
Birth Date:11 April 1977
Birth Place:Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Highschool:Prattsburgh Central School
(Prattsburgh, New York)
College:Seton Hall (1996–2000)
Draft Year:2000
Career Start:2000
Career End:2016, 2017
Career Position:Shooting guard
Years1:2000–2001
Team1:Hapoel Galil Elyon
Years2:2001–2002
Team2:Lietuvos rytas Vilnius
Years3:2002–2003
Team3:Oostende
Years4:2003–2004
Team4:Bonn
Years5:2004–2005
Team5:Cantù
Years6:2005–2009
Team6:Mens Sana Siena
Years7:2009–2010
Team7:Real Madrid
Years8:2010–2012
Team8:Mens Sana Siena
Years9:2012–2013
Team9:Žalgiris Kaunas
Years10:2013
Team10:Baskonia
Years11:2013–2016
Team11:Reggiana
Years12:2017
Team12:Reggiana
Highlights:

Rimantas "Rimas" Kaukėnas (born 11 April 1977) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player. His long career has taken him to a number of countries, finding the most success in Italy. He has also been a member of the senior men's Lithuanian national team. Playing primarily at the shooting guard position, he can also play as a point guard.

Professional career

Kaukėnas was a longtime member of Montepaschi Siena of the Italian Serie A.

On 5 August 2012 he signed for his homeland team Žalgiris Kaunas.[1]

He joined Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia in December 2013, helping the side reach the finals of the 2014–15 Lega Basket Serie A. In July 2015, his contract was extended for another season.[2] On 7 July 2016 Kaukėnas retired from professional basketball.[3] On 7 January 2017 Kaukėnas came out of retirement and rejoined Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia for the rest of the season.[4] [5]

National team

Kaukėnas played with the senior men's Lithuanian national basketball team at the EuroBasket 2001, the EuroBasket 2007, where he won a bronze medal, and the EuroBasket 2011. He also played at both the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

Kaukėnas established the Rimantas Kaukenas Charity Group, which aims to provide "magical moments" for children with life-threatening medical conditions.[6] He is married to former Swedish-Serbian basketball player Tanja Kostić, with whom he has three daughters. Tanja follows the activities of RK Charity Group, while Rimantas is playing during the season.He is fluent in English, Italian and Russian.

EuroLeague career statistics

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06| style="text-align:left;"| Montepaschi Siena| 14 || 12 || 28.5 || .442 || .302 || .847 || 1.9 || 2.0 || 1.7 || .0 || 15.1 || 12.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08| style="text-align:left;"| Montepaschi Siena| 9 || 5 || 28.8 || .431 || .290 || .882 || 2.6 || 2.6 || 1.6 || .1 || 14.1 || 13.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09| style="text-align:left;"| Montepaschi Siena| 18 || 5 || 28.8 || .518 || .368 || .847 || 2.3 || 1.7 || 1.1 || .0 || 14.8 || 12.8|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10| style="text-align:left;"| Real Madrid| 18 || 10 || 21.4 || .545 || .353 || .829 || 1.1 || 1.3 || 1.6 || .0 || 10.3 || 8.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11| style="text-align:left;"| Montepaschi Siena| 20 || 11 || 25.3 || .445 || .308 || .902 || 2.0 || 1.9 || 1.1 || .1 || 12.0 || 9.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12| style="text-align:left;"| Montepaschi Siena| 6 || 6 || 25.3 || .580 || .643 || 1.000 || 2.2 || 2.5 || 1.2 || .0 || 14.5 || 15.3|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13| style="text-align:left;"| Žalgiris Kaunas| 24 || 11 || 20.3 || .395 || .344 || .882 || 2.1 || 1.9 || .8 || .0 || 7.8 || 6.4|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14| style="text-align:left;"| Laboral Kutxa| 5 || 1 || 12.3 || .583 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.4 || 1.0 || .6 || .2 || 3.6 || 3.8|-|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:left;"| Career| style="text-align:left;"|| 114 || 61 || 23.8 || .510 || .337 || .874 || 1.9 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .0 || 11.6 || 10.2

Awards and achievements

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zalgiris Kaunas brings home veteran Kaukenas. Euroleague.net. 11 September 2012.
  2. Web site: Reggio Emilia, Kaukenas stay together . https://web.archive.org/web/20150821003139/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/687dalp79eq599os . dead . August 21, 2015 . . 25 July 2015 . EurocupBasketball.com . 22 July 2015.
  3. News: Rimantas Kaukenas retires at 39. 7 July 2016. Sportando.com. 7 July 2016.
  4. Web site: Kaukenas torna in campo. Mercoledì sarà presentato ai media. Pallacanestro Reggiana. 8 January 2017. it-IT. 7 January 2017.
  5. Web site: Il ritorno di Kaukenas: "Sono un rookie, cercherò di aiutare la squadra a crescere". Pallacanestro Reggiana. 11 January 2017. it-IT. 11 January 2017.
  6. Web site: About us . . KaukenoParama.lt . 27 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150623212328/http://www.kaukenoparama.lt/?page_id=12&lang=en . 2015-06-23 . dead .