Jonas Valanciunas

Valanciunas is a Lithuanian center whose NBA career has spanned more than a decade and multiple franchises since he was drafted fifth overall in 2011. Known for his size, rebounding, and interior scoring, he has also been a mainstay of the Lithuanian national team, winning two EuroBasket silver medals and earning multiple All-Tournament honors.

Born Jonas Valanciunas on May 6, 1992, in Utena, Lithuania, he began playing professionally for Perlas in 2008. He moved to Lietuvos Rytas in January 2010 and helped the team win the 2010 LKF Cup. He played in three LKL Finals and was named the 2011 LKL All-Star Game MVP. In 2012, he won the EuroCup Rising Star award and was named to the All-EuroCup squad. He was twice named FIBA European Young Player of the Year.

The Toronto Raptors selected Valanciunas with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He signed with Toronto in July 2012 and made his NBA debut on October 31, becoming the first Raptors rookie since Damon Stoudamire to record a double-double in his first game. In April 2013, he was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. He spent seven seasons in Toronto before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019.

Valanciunas has also played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, and Denver Nuggets. He has been a member of the Lithuanian national team since age 19, winning EuroBasket silver medals in 2013 and 2015 and earning All-Tournament honors in 2015. He also appeared in the documentary The Other Dream Team.

Valanciunas is a traditional center with elite size, rebounding instincts, and finishing ability around the rim. He scores on post-ups, pick-and-rolls, and putbacks, and he uses his strength to set screens and control the glass. His offensive game is not built on three-point shooting, but his interior presence and experience make him a reliable rotation big.

Valanciunas enters each season as a veteran center with more than a decade of NBA experience and multiple international medals. His trajectory from a Lithuanian youth league to a EuroCup Rising Star, a top-five draft pick, and a multi-franchise NBA contributor reflects size, skill, and a commitment to rebounding and interior scoring at the highest level.