This Saturday, Rytas Vilnius takes to its home court for its second matchup in the LKL, sponsored by Betsson, facing Neptūnas Klaipėda. The meeting between these two teams provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on their shared basketball history, at the heart of which stands Arvydas Macijauskas—the only player in Lithuania whose jersey hangs retired in the rafters of both clubs’ arenas.
Ahead of the upcoming contest, the legendary sharpshooter looked back in an open conversation on his fateful 1999 move to the capital, shared his thoughts on receiving unique recognition from two cities, discussed the organizational maturity of Rytas Vilnius, and addressed intriguing speculation surrounding NBA Europe.
— In 1999, you arrived in Vilnius from Neptūnas at just nineteen years old. At that time, Rytas Vilnius was a young, hungry organization in need of personalities capable of breaking decades of established hierarchy in Lithuanian basketball. How much did that move change you personally, and when did you realize that the expectations and ambitions in the capital operated on an entirely different level?
— You realize automatically that you are stepping up to a completely different level of the game. You move away from your parents’ house, become independent, and your social circle changes. At the same time, your approach to professionalism changes: a multitude of details emerge regarding preparation, nutrition, and sleep habits. From the very first days, it was naturally much harder—my teammates and opponents were of a far higher caliber. But when you are a professional athlete, or dream of becoming one at the highest level, you have to be morally and mentally prepared for that. Back then, I simply went out to do my job and chase the best possible results to repay the trust of the club’s management and owners, who believed in me, invested in me, and provided fantastic conditions.
— In professional sports, one of the toughest psychological tasks is playing against the team where you grew up, where almost everyone in the stands knows your name. When you had to face Neptūnas, how did you manage the mindset of knowing your opponent’s character inside out while having the duty to break it?
— When you transition to a higher-level team, you train daily with higher-caliber players—without taking anything away from Klaipėda. Naturally, you strive to prove your worth against stronger opposition, pursuing bigger goals for yourself and the team. Playing against other teams or later abroad, I was always driven by immense fire; it motivated me more mentally. As for the games against Neptūnas, that was so long ago now—I don’t recall any exceptional internal conflict or psychological hurdles. I simply went out and did my job.
— You are a unique phenomenon: equally revered in both Klaipėda and Vilnius, with your name immortalized in the rafters of both arenas. When your jersey was raised to the ceiling in Vilnius in 2023, the opponent on the floor happened to be Neptūnas. On that evening, was there even a shred of internal conflict in your heart about which team truly feels like home?
— Vilnius is my true home. This is where I put down roots, where my children are growing up, and where our family feels completely at home. I love this city, I love the club, and we are deeply grateful to have been embraced so warmly. Perhaps there aren’t that many multi-generational Vilnius natives, but we consider ourselves true Vilniusites.
I was born and raised in Klaipėda; that was where my journey began. The port city will always have a special place in my heart, and that is where I visit my parents. As for the games… I can admit that I’m not entirely an orthodox fan: when the game is played in Vilnius, my whole heart is with Vilnius, but when the teams face off in Klaipėda—to keep things fair—I cheer for Neptūnas. On Saturday, I will be in the arena watching the game side by side with the owner of Neptūnas, so it promises to be a wonderful evening of basketball.
— In the spring of 2000, your team proved that Vilnius could become champions. Since then, Rytas Vilnius has ridden immense waves: from European peaks to deep valleys and subsequent renaissances. How do you view the club’s ability to reinvent itself and reclaim an organizational identity where anything less than gold is considered a setback?
— Vilnius is the capital. There is enormous support here, a constantly growing fan base, and people are madly in love with sports and our second religion—basketball. In sports, peaks and valleys are inevitable; so much depends on resources and finances, making fluctuations unavoidable.
However, it is very gratifying to see that Rytas Vilnius does not stand still—today, the organization is vastly stronger and more mature than back when we were still finding our footing. Moving forward, the club simply needs to set the highest targets and pursue them systematically. Unexpected dips will always happen in sports, just like last season’s semifinals, but what matters most is sustained, consistent work.
— Today, Rytas Vilnius demonstrates stability: the organizational structure is expanding, and the FIBA Champions League trophy was brought home. In your eyes, what is this organization’s ceiling, and what needs to happen for this growth to become a permanent foundation?
— The organization is taking shape wonderfully. Having a dedicated home arena provides great psychological comfort, and the new arena construction project will provide Vilnius with an even sturdier home base.
Naturally, sooner or later the broader European basketball landscape will have to resolve its structure—be it FIBA, the EuroLeague, or the increasingly discussed NBA Europe project. Right now there is a lot of chatter and speculation; even fans and basketball insiders struggle to foresee how it will all fall into place. Once the international framework settles, we will see the true competitive hierarchy of the leagues and where clubs fit—and at that point, the long-term outlook for Rytas Vilnius will be clearer still.
Without question, you want to see Rytas Vilnius among the elite. Vilnius possesses immense potential: the size of the city, infrastructure development, and strong corporate backing. I am convinced that if Europe’s top-tier teams came to the capital, Vilnius would showcase its full power—attracting greater financial resources, premier players, and sold-out arenas. We see the fantastic atmosphere in Kaunas, but Vilnius can do the exact same thing, if not compete on an even higher level. To achieve that, you need top-quality content, because people gravitate toward elite basketball.
— Over the past quarter-century, terrace and fan culture has also transformed. Looking at the arena today, to what extent has the Vilnius fan remained that same demanding basketball critic, and to what extent have supporters become more mature and forgiving during difficult stretches?
— The fans in Vilnius today are simply phenomenal. They back the team even when results do not go their way; they never turn their backs and always provide motivation. In Vilnius, the team and the fans form a single, indivisible heartbeat, and the players feel that directly on the floor.
At the same time, the players themselves must recognize where they are playing. Everyone in Lithuania understands basketball: the fans in the stands, journalists, analysts. You cannot fake effort here. Players must burn with the desire to work hard during training sessions, stay disciplined, and constantly improve. When an individual player grows, the level of the entire club rises automatically, and everyone benefits.
— All professionals put in the work. But what separates those rare few who become immortal club icons from those who simply fulfill their contracts and move on?
— It is impossible to win over the hearts of fans through good play alone. You have to play with raw emotion and leave everything on the floor. Supporters often fall in love not with whoever leads the box score, but with charismatic players who shed tears with the team after a loss, celebrate passionately after a win, and truly live the life of this city.
I once said: everyday people save up from their monthly salaries for six months or a year just to afford a season ticket. Athletes earn incomparably more, so you are obligated to respect every single person in the arena—to respect their tears, their time, and their emotions. Following a defeat, fans also lose sleep, take it to heart, and debate the game the next day. When a player gives his heart, that love spreads through the stands like wildfire. People don’t just want clinical victories; they need that happiness hormone, that emotional high that stays in their memory for a lifetime.
The clash between Rytas Vilnius and Neptūnas Klaipėda takes place this Saturday at Arena Vilnius. Tip-off is scheduled for 16:50. Tickets are available at bilietai.lt.