Rytas Vilnius has finalized its coaching staff for the 2025–2026 season. As previously announced, the capital team will continue to be led by head coach Giedrius Žibėnas, and this year he will be joined by two new specialists – experienced Finnish coach Vesa Vertio and young talent Nedas Pacevičius. The staff also retains Gustas Maskoliūnas, strength and conditioning coach Tadas Jackūnas, and physiotherapists Andrius Misiūra and Laurynas Zurza.
Vesa Vertio is one of the most experienced Finnish coaches, having recently worked with Helsinki Seagulls. He was with the club from 2019 and became head coach in 2023. Before that, Vertio gained experience in Germany – from 2016 to 2019 he was an assistant coach at Crailsheim Merlins, working alongside Tom Iisalo, who currently coaches the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA.
Another new face in the coaching staff is Nedas Pacevičius, who has worked in various Lithuanian Basketball League clubs since 2017. This summer, the 30-year-old specialist served as an assistant coach for the Lithuanian women’s national team, supporting head coach Vilius Stanišauskas.
“We often talk about continuity among players, but minimally about continuity in the coaching staff. Over the past 4–5 years, with the great support of the organization and the players themselves, we first built the team culture, and only then the system. Therefore, first of all, I am pleased that G. Maskoliūnas and T. Jackūnas remain on the staff – their contribution as specialists is huge, but most importantly their quality is loyalty, which during the most difficult moments of the season makes a huge impact. With G. Dedas leaving, we had to find not only an experienced coach but also another loyal member of the staff. Vesa brings a wealth of experience – working with top-level specialists, as well as a style of play familiar to us.
Nedas is young, energetic, but very dedicated to his work, capable of adapting to new situations, understands Rytas team values well, and most importantly – truly feels the modern style of play. I believe that adding him to the coaching staff will bring new colors, ideas, and correct decisions in critical moments of the season.
I must also mention our growing coach A. Pilauskas, who remains in the Rytas system but will work with Rytas-2 next season and act as a bridge connecting the main and development teams,” said Giedrius Žibėnas, head coach of Rytas Vilnius.
This summer, longtime Žibėnas colleague Georgios Dedas left the Rytas coaching staff to start a new chapter as head coach at Ostend’s Filou club. Meanwhile, Aistis Pilauskas continues in the Rytas system, assisting Gintaras Kadžiulis with the Rytas-2 team.