2022 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene

21/11/2022

Hall of Fame

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2022 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene

MIES (Switzerland) - Lithuanian legend Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene is being inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in appreciation of her stunning career contributions.

She is being enshrined in the Class of 2022 as part of a nine-strong group that have all had a significant role in the development of women's basketball.

Streimikyte-Virbickiene is joined by Robyn Maher (Australia), Lisa Leslie (USA), Catarina Pollini (Italy) and Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal). The Class also includes deserved recognition for a number of coaches including Geno Auriemma (USA), Antonio Barbosa (Brazil), Maria Planas (Spain) and Milan 'Ciga' Vasojevic (Serbia) who will be inducted posthumously.

Streimikyte-Virbickiene was a driving force behind Lithuania winning their first and only FIBA Women's EuroBasket title

It was no co-incidence that with Streimikyte-Virbickiene in their line-up, Lithuania were crowned FIBA Women's EuroBasket champions for the very first time. The versatile forward played at four editions and it was during her second in 1997 that they climbed to the top of the podium, with the Alytus native leading her team in points, rebounds and assists.

That famous landmark title and high tide mark of 1997 in Hungary led to the first of her two appearances at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Typically, she made an instant splash in Germany on her debut in the tournament with 18 points, although the reigning European champions had to settle for sixth place. Meanwhile her last major international tournament wearing a Lithuania national team vest came at the 2006 edition in Brazil.

Streimikyte-Virbickiene has given amazing service for her country and scored 2101 points

The fourth Lithuanian to enter the FIBA Hall of Fame and first female in the wake of previouds entrants Arvydas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis and Modestas Paulauskas, there is no doubt that she gave incredible service across 16 years in total, playing in 157 games and racking up a staggering 2,101 points.

Her club career also illustrates what a tour de force she was. Few ballers manage to play as many as 12 EuroLeague Women seasons. During that run, she took to the court at five Final Four tournaments, top scoring in two of them and was eventually crowned a champion with Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje in 2009.

Streimikyte-Virbickiene won a EuroLeague Women title with Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje

Known for her strong character and winning appetite on the court, as well as her power and skill, Streimikyte-Virbickiene recorded an eye-catching number of domestic Championships, including 10 titles in Lithuania, 5 Baltic titles, 3 French titles and two in Italy, including being MVP of the Italian Final in 2002.

Moving into coaching after hanging up her game shoes, she has also been selected as one of Lithuania's top basketball legends in her homeland, and now she can look forward to receiving global recognition.

The FIBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on November 30 in Mies, Switzerland.

Name	Jurgita STREIMIKYTE-VIRBICKIENE
Category of Inductee	Player (Forward)
Date of birth	May 14th 1972
Place of birth	Alytus, Lithuania
Nationality	Lithuanian
Height	1.88m - 6ft 2in
Clubs	Vilnius Rysininkas (1990-1993) Kaunas Viktorija (1993-1994) Valenciennes USO ( 1994- 1998) Pool Commense (1998-2002) Indiana Fever (2000, 2001, 2005) Vilnius Lietuvos Telekomas (2003, 2006) Sopron Basket (2004) Vilnius TEO (2006-2009) Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje (2009)
Club highlights	Ten-time Lithuanian League Champion (1991-1994, 2004-2009) Five-time Baltic League Champion (2003-2007) Two-time Italian League Champion (1999-2002) Three-time French League Finalist (1996-1998) Played 12 EuroLeague Women seasons (1997-2002, 2004-2009) Played in 5 EuroLeague Women Final Four Tournaments (1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009) EuroLeague Women champion (2009)
National Team highlights	Played in 2 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup (1998, 2006) Played in 4 FIBA Women's EuroBasket (1995, 1997, 1999, 2005) FIBA Women's EuroBasket gold medalist (1997)
Individual highlights	MVP of the Italian League Final (2002) Two-time EuroLeague Women Final Four top scorer (1995, 1998) 157 games and 2,101 points with the National Team (1990-2006) Selected among the 100 basketball legends in Lithuania (2002)