Paulius Jankunas out for Zalgiris’ season

Zalgiris Kaunas has suffered a serious dent to their Euroleague hopes after announcing a season ending injury to captain and talisman Paulius Jankunas (205 cm). The 28-year old power forward will sit out the remainder of the season after picking up a shoulder injury during his team’s overtime victory last Thursday against Brose Baskets Bamberg (Germany) in the Europleague. The win was Zalgiris’ first on the road in the competition in almost a decade, but it come at a price as Jankunas aggravated an existing shoulder injury.

After undergoing tests, the player’s medical team has decided he will need surgery and will be side-lined for four months. As Zalgiris fight on three fronts (Lithuanian League, VTB League, Euroleague) the loss of its captain will surely be a bitter blow for the team. Paulius Jankunas has spent nine of his ten seasons as a pro with Zalgiris, and this season was proving a good one for the player.

In 17 Euroleague games, Jankunas has averaged 24.4 minutes on the court and leads his team on rebounds (4.8 per game). He has also offered a solid contribution at the hoop, scoring on average 8.2 points per game, while chipping in with 1.2 assists per game. Zalgiris now has to continue in the Euroleague without its captain; the team is currently in 5th place in Group E with a 3-4 record and next up is Panathinaikos (Greece) at home on February 21st.