Rytas Vilnius continues to strengthen its roster and has officially signed a two-year guaranteed contract with 27-year-old, 201 cm tall basketball player Matas Jogela. Having spent the past season in the Italian top division and the EuroCup, the Lithuanian decided to return to the capital, where he took his first steps toward a professional career as a teenager.
Jogela’s connection with Vilnius basketball began back in the 2015–2016 season when he played for the youth team of Lietuvos rytas-2 and successfully represented the club in the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). Later, in 2019, the forward joined Neptunas Klaipeda. Spending four seasons on the coast brought the basketball player significant personal accolades—in 2023, Jogela was named the LKL Most Improved Player of the season. After receiving this award, the forward gained experience in the top divisions of Spain and Italy, and also spent one season with another club based in the capital. Jogela also possesses valuable experience representing national teams—with the Lithuanian U-18 team, he won a silver medal at the European Championship, and in recent years, he has regularly worn the Lithuanian men’s national basketball team jersey during the FIBA qualification windows.
“I decided to join Rytas because I felt a lot of trust from the club. It is an ambitious organization that always sets high goals, which was particularly important for me when choosing the next step in my career. I believe that here I will be able to improve and help the team achieve victories,” said Jogela. “It is always great to play where people live and breathe basketball, so I cannot wait to put on the Rytas jersey and experience it all. The fans and the team can expect a lot of energy and dedication from me—I am a team player who always gives my all and does everything for the team’s victories.”
During the past 2025–2026 season, Jogela played for Dolomiti Energia Trento in Italy. In the EuroCup tournament, the forward appeared in 18 games, averaging 22:30 minutes on the court. During this time, he averaged 10.1 points (shooting 51.4% on two-pointers and 38.9% on three-pointers), 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, while recording a performance index rating of 10.2. His statistics in the Italian league, Lega Basket Serie A, remained similar—averaging 23 minutes on the court, 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
“We are happy to sign another talented Lithuanian who has already proven his worth both playing in Lithuania and in European tournaments. We can highlight his physical attributes and athleticism—this will undoubtedly help us in both set-play and transition offense, as well as in defense,” Rytas head coach Nedas Pacevicius said about the newcomer. “Matas has a great character, so he will be a great addition to the locker room, and we hope he will become one of the successful pieces of our puzzle.”