Rimantas Kaukenas will be joining his Lithuania national teammate Darjus Lavrinovic for the 2009-10 Euroleague season, as Real Madrid announced the inking of the swingman to a two-year deal yesterday. Kaukenas had played for Montepaschi Siena for the past four seasons and last year started for Lithuania’s Olympic team in Beijing.
(Euroleague.net) – Real Madrid signed swingman Rimantas Kaukenas for the coming season on Tuesday with an option for a second year. Kaukenas (193 cm, 32 years old) arrives from Montepaschi Siena, where he averaged 14.8 points in 14 Euroleague games last season. In his four seasons with Montepaschi, Kaukenas helped the team win three consecutive Italian League titles from 2007 to 2009 and reach the 2008 Euroleague Final Four. Last season Kaukenas and Montepaschi also won the Italian Cup and advanced to the Euroleague Quarterfinal Playoffs. Kaukenas began his professional career at Hapoel Galil Elyon in Israel and has also played for Cantu in Italy, Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany, BC Oostende in Belgium and Lietuvos Rytas in his native Lithuania. He helped Lietuvos Rytas to the Lithuanian League and the NEBL titles in 2002. Kaukenas is also a member of the Lithuanian national team. He won the bronze medal at EuroBasket 2007 and reached the 2008 Olympic semifinals in Beijing, China. He will team up with another Lithuanian national team player, center Darjus Lavrinovic, in Madrid.
