Giedrius Gustas

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Giedrius Gustas

| image = Giedrius Gustas 205636.png

| image_size =

| caption = Gustas playing with the Lithuanian national team.

| height_m = 1.90

| weight_kg = 84

| team =

| position =

| league =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|3|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union

| nationality = Lithuanian

| career_start = 1998

| career_end = 2016

| career_position = Point guard / shooting guard

| career_number =

| years1 = 1998–2004

| team1 = Žalgiris Kaunas

| years2 = 1999–2000

| years3 = 2004–2005

| team3 = Lokomotiv Rostov

| years4 = 2005–2006

| team4 = Barons LMT

| years5 = 2006–2007

| team5 = Dynamo Moscow Region

| years6 = 2007–2009

| team6 = Barons LMT

| years7 = 2009–2010

| team7 = Kavala Panorama GS

| years8 = 2010–2011

| team8 = Trefl Sopot

| years9 = 2011–2012

| team9 = Turów Zgorzelec

| years10 = 2012–2013

| team10 = Neptūnas Klaipėda

| years11 = 2013–2014

| team11 = Rakvere Tarvas

| years12 = 2014–2016

| team12 = Dzūkija Alytus

| cyears1 = 2016

| cteam1 = Dzūkija Alytus (assistant)

| highlights = As player:

EuroLeague champion (1999)
FIBA EuroCup champion (2008)
FIBA EuroCup Final Four MVP (2008)
NEBL champion (1999)
4× Lithuanian League champion (1999, 2001, 2003–2004)
Latvian League champion (2008)

| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|LTU}}}}

}}

Giedrius Gustas (born 4 March 1980) is a former Lithuanian professional basketball player. At the height of 1.90 m (6'2 3⁄4") tall and a weight of 86 kg (190 lbs.), he mainly played at the point guard position. During his club playing career, as a member of Žalgiris Kaunas, he won the EuroLeague championship in 1999. As a member of the Barons LMT, he won the Europe Cup championship in 2008. He was also a member of the senior Lithuanian national team, and with Lithuania, he won the gold medal at the 2003 EuroBasket and the bronze medal at the 2007 EuroBasket.

Early years and life

Giedrius Gustas graduated from the Arvydas Sabonis basketball school. He started his training being at eight with the Lithuanian basketball coach Ramūnas Šalūga. He was a member of the 1980s boys' generation, the first generation to graduate from Sabonis' basketball school. 1996 played for the Lithuanian junior basketball team. 1998 together with R. Javtokas, A. Macijauskas, D. Zavackas, G. Kadžiulis, T. Nagis, played for the Lithuanian youth basketball team. In 1998, Giedrius Gustas graduated from the Kaunas V. Kuprevičiaus (former Kaunas 32) primary school.

Professional career

Giedrius Gustas joined the Lithuanian League club Žalgiris Kaunas, in 1998. With Žalgiris, he won the NEBL championship, the EuroLeague championship, and the Lithuanian League championship in 1999. In 2008, while he was playing with the Latvian League club Barons LMT, he won the FIBA EuroCup championship, and he was also named the league's Final Four MVP.[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.teamID_2135.compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2003.roundID_3414.playerID_25955.coid_KVIail7LHcI8bCYQ3I09N2.articleMode_on.html Gustas takes Home MVP.]

In 2009, Giedrius Gustas joined the Greek League club EKK Kavala.{{Cite web |url=http://www.eurobasket.lt/lt/naujienos/39443/g.gustas-taps-a.kavaliausko-bendraklubiu |title=Gustas to EKK Kavala (Lithuanian). |access-date=2009-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116175036/http://www.eurobasket.lt/lt/naujienos/39443/g.gustas-taps-a.kavaliausko-bendraklubiu |archive-date=2009-01-16 |url-status=dead }}

National team career

Giedrius Gustas played with the junior national teams of Lithuania. With Lithuania's Under-18 junior national team, he played at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.

Giedrius Gustas was also a member of the senior Lithuanian national team. With Lithuania, he played at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He also played at the 2003 EuroBasket, where he won a gold medal, the 2005 EuroBasket, and the 2007 EuroBasket, where he won a bronze medal. With Lithuania, he played in 72 games and scored a total of 298 points.

Coaching and managerial career

On 31 August 2016, Giedrius Gustas announced his retirement as a player, and he became the assistant basketball coach of the Lithuanian League club Dzūkija Alytus.{{cite web|title=G.Gustas deda tašką krepšininko karjeroje – tapo treneriu|url=http://www.krepsinis.net/naujiena/g-gustas-deda-taska-krepsininko-karjeroje-tapo-treneriu/265410|website=krepsinis.net|access-date=31 August 2016|date=31 August 2016}} From 2016 to 2017, he worked as the Sports Director of Dzūkija Alytus.{{Cite web|title=Europos čempionas krepšinio kamuolį paima retai ir nesigaili|url=http://kauno.diena.lt/naujienos/sportas/krepsinis/europos-cempionas-krepsinio-kamuoli-paima-retai-ir-nesigaili-810394|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Kauno diena|date=6 May 2017 |language=lt}} In 2018, Giedrius Gustas became a member of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation's board and the Director of the Lithuanian Women's League.{{Cite web|title=Personalas, kontaktai|url=https://krepsinionamai.lt/lkf/personalas-kontaktai/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Lietuvos krepšinio federacija|language=lt-LT}}

Personal life

In 2017, Giedrius Gustas graduated from Vytautas Magnus University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Management. Two years later, Giedrius Gustas graduated from the same institution with a Master's degree in Marketing and Sales.

Career awards and achievements

;As player

NEBL champion: 1999
EuroLeague champion: 1999
4× Lithuanian League champion: 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004
Lithuanian League Runner-up: 2002
EuroBasket {{gold medal}}: 2003
Latvian League Runner-up: 2006
EuroBasket {{bronze medal}}: 2007
FIBA EuroCup champion: 2008
FIBA EuroCup Final Four MVP: 2008
Latvian League champion: 2008
Polish League 3rd place: 2011
Lithuanian League 3rd place: 2013
Estonian League 3rd place: 2014

References

External links

[https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ACR&seasoncode=EQR11#!careerstats Euroleague.net Profile]
[https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Giedrius%20Gustas/pid//_//players.html FIBA Archive Profile]
[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_BYg5Rb55Jw-G5I3MZ6JB01.roundID_9682.season_2014.teamID_97548.playerID_25955.html FIBA Europe Profile]
[http://www.plk.pl/archiwum/8/zawodnicy/p/1965/ Polish League Profile] {{in lang|pl}}
[http://www.basketnews.lt/player-1425-giedrius-gustas.html Player Profile @ Basketnews.lt] {{in lang|lt}}
[http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Giedrius-Gustas-35470/ Draftexpress.com Profile]