Lithuania drawing up list of candidates after Kazlauskas exit

VILNIUS (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Lithuania will have a new coach when they return to international competition at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 with the country's federation (LBBF) president Arvydas Sabonis having confirmed veteran boss Jonas Kazlauskas will not remain at the helm.

Kazlauskas told the Lithuania media upon his return home from the 2016 Olympics that it was time for him to leave and Sabonis has now said that is indeed the case.

"A man that has given Lithuanian basketball a lot has decided to take a rest," Sabonis said to the country's media.

The expectation is that by 25 October, when the LBBF have an executive council meeting, Lithuania will have a better idea of who will succeed the 61-year-old Kazlauskas.

"We hope by that time to have a list of candidates," Sabonis said.

Among the men linked with the post are Rimas Kurtinaitis, Sarunas Jasikevicius and Tomas Pacesas. Sabonis doesn't want to given an opinion on the man he believes should take over.

"Now it is difficult to speak," he said. "You need to wait until 25 October."

Sabonis with Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite at Rio Olympics

Kazlauskas steered the side to runners-up finishes at the last two EuroBaskets and a fourth-placed finish at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Hopes were high for a medal in Brazil.

After a strong build-up to Brazil and then starting the Olympics with three straight wins, though, Lithuania imploded in their Group B game against Spain and lost, 109-59.

The team then fell to Croatia, 90-81, before having another meltdown against Australia in the Quarter-Finals and losing, 90-64.

FIBA