Rytas Vilnius has officially signed a contract with 23-year-old Vilnius native Augustas Marčiulionis. After four years of studies and development in the United States, the point guard is returning to his home club, where he began his professional path and successfully progressed through the organization’s youth development pyramid. Marčiulionis arrives in Vilnius from the NBA G League, where this season he represented the South Bay Lakers.
Marčiulionis is a consistent product of the Vilnius basketball system, having developed at the Vilnius Basketball School. Later, the guard played successfully for Rytas second team, and in the 2020–2021 season he joined the main Rytas roster. In that Lithuanian Basketball League season, he averaged 14 minutes on the court, 4.6 points, and 2.3 assists per game.
“We’re happy that Augustas decided to return to his home club. Throughout the time he played in the U.S., we stayed in constant contact and followed his growth. He is a true Vilnius guy who, I know, even while across the Atlantic consistently followed Rytas results and remained part of our community. This agreement is a strategically very important step for the club’s future, aiming for the team’s core to be made up of players who grew up in our system,” said Rytas Vilnius sports director Artūras Jomantas.
While still a member of Rytas, Marčiulionis regularly represented Lithuania’s youth national teams at various age levels, and in 2021 he was also included on the Lithuanian men’s national team list. He was again named to the reserve national team lists in 2024, but due to an injury he did not end up wearing the Lithuanian men’s team jersey.
After a successful spell in Vilnius, the player decided to continue his career and studies in the U.S., where for four years he represented the Saint Mary’s Gaels in the NCAA. During his college years, he became one of the team’s main leaders and was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year. The 193 cm tall point guard then moved on to the NBA G League, joining the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
“The feeling is unreal. I can’t wait to return to the city and the club where I grew up,” Marčiulionis said about coming back. “Almost five years have passed, during which I improved a lot and matured. I’m ready to give everything I have to this club and this city.”
In the 2025–2026 season in the G League, Marčiulionis averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game.
Augustas arrived in Vilnius on Wednesday evening, and he will make his first appearance in a Rytas jersey in a must-win game against Le Mans Sarthe Basket on March 11.