Mindaugas Katelynas

Mindaugas Katelynas

Nickname(s)	Air Lithuania[1]
Position	Power forward
Height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Weight	225 lb (102 kg)
League	Lithuanian Basketball League Baltic Basketball League Euroleague VTB United League
Team	BC Lietuvos Rytas
Born	May 16, 1983 (1983-05-16) (age 28) Alytus, Lithuanian SSR, USSR (now Lithuania)
Nationality	Lithuanian
College	Eastern Utah, Tennessee-Chattanooga
Pro career	2005–present
Career history	Eastern Utah (2001-03) Chattanooga (2003-05) NGC Cantu (2005-06) Monferrato Casale (2006-07) AJ Milano (2007-09) Meridiano Alicante (2009-10) Cajasol Sevilla (2010-11)

Mindaugas Katelynas (born 16 May 1983 in Alytus, Lithuania) is a professional basketball player, currently playing for Lithuanian team BC Lietuvos Rytas.

Playing career

Katelynas grew up with Alytus youth basketball team. In 2001, he was offered at scholarship at College of Eastern Utah, which participated in NJCAA tournaments. Two years later, he moved to Tennessee-Chattanooga of NCAA's Division I. While at Chattanooga, Katelynas won the NCAA dunk contest in 2005. After two impressive seasons, Katelynas participated in the 2005 NBA Draft camp, but did not go on to the actual draft. He tried his luck again in the NBA by participating in Phoenix Suns summer camp, but he did not receive much acclaim. After such setbacks, Katelynas left for Europe.

He arrived to NGC Cantu for the 2005-06 season. However, he suffered an arm injury during practice and was waived shortly afterwards.^[2] He signed a one-year contract with LegADue's A. S. Monferrato Casale. Katelynas averaged his personal best - 12.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.4 spg while shooting 56% from the field.^[3] During the summer of 2007, he participated in Golden State Warriors summer camp.^[4] He signed a one-year contract with Armani Jeans Milano in 2007, and extended it to two years in 2008. He was lent to Meridiano Alicante for the 2009-10 season.^[5] In August 2010, he signed a two-year contract with Cajasol Sevilla.^[6] In August 2011 he moved back to his homeland, signing a three-year deal with BC Lietuvos Rytas.^[7]

National team

Katelynas was a candidate for the Lithuania national basketball team for Eurobasket 2009, but did not make the final roster. He was a candidate for 2010 FIBA World Championship, but was forced to leave the training camp after suffering a tarsal injury.^[8]

References

1. ^ http://thehoop.blogspot.com/2009/08/alicante-announced-mindaugas-katelynas.html
2. ^ http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=2953
3. ^ http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=000664
4. ^ http://warriors.realgm.com/articles/147/20070708/summer_league_analysis_game_1_vs._new_orleans/
5. ^ http://www.krepsinis.net/news.php?news_id=117424
6. ^ http://www.basketnews.lt/news-31927-katelynas-oficialiai-tapo-cajasol-nariu.html
7. ^ Lietuvos Rytas signs Katelynas
8. ^ http://www.basketnews.lt/news-31646-katelynas-paliko-rinktine.html

External links

• Official website
• Euroleague.net profile

Persondata
Name	Katelynas, Mindaugas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	16 May 1983
Place of birth	Alytus, Lithuanian SSR, USSR (now Lithuania)
Date of death
Place of death