Three EuroLeague legends and original trophies to visit Vilnius
Three EuroLeague legends—David Rivers, Joe Arlauckas, and Nikola Vujčić—will be in Vilnius for the OlyBet DUNK IT event on June 6-7. They will meet sports fans, participate in a 3×3 basketball tournament, and display the EuroLeague and European Cup champion trophies.
The EuroLeague stars will interact with basketball fans over the two-day event. On the first day, attendees can see and take photos with the EuroLeague and European Cup trophies, which will be displayed near the OlyBet Sports Bar.
On June 7, the “Kablys” venue near Vilnius’s Old Town will host the “OlyBet DUNK IT” 3×3 tournament featuring national stars and basketball professionals, including Rivers, Arlauckas, and Vujčić. The EuroLeague and European Cup trophies will also be on display.
“It’s great that this year’s collaboration between DUNK IT and EuroLeague sponsors OlyBet is already bearing fruit, allowing our country’s basketball enthusiasts to create such experiences. The visit of these tournament legends is a unique event that makes us stand out across Europe,” said Ignas Grinevičius, organizer of the OlyBet DUNK IT event.
David Rivers, one of the brightest EuroLeague stars of all time, boasts more than 30 titles, including championships in Greece, Turkey, Italy, and France. In 1997, he was recognized as the best basketball player in Europe, becoming the first American to win this title.
Rivers began his professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988, playing there until 1993 before moving to Europe to join Antibes Olympique. He later played for Piraeus Olympiacos (Greece), Bologna Fortitudo (Italy), and Bursa Tofaş (Turkey), finishing his career with Antibes. In 1997, Rivers led Olympiacos to a EuroLeague championship, earning titles as the most productive and valuable player in the tournament’s Final Four. Olympiacos inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2022 for his historic achievements.
Joe Arlauckas, another EuroLeague legend visiting Vilnius, is an American of Lithuanian descent. His father is Lithuanian, and his mother is Italian-American. Despite once having the opportunity to play for the Lithuanian national team, Arlauckas has expressed regret over his decision not to do so.
Drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 1987, Arlauckas moved to Europe a year later, where he spent the rest of his career. He played for Caserta Juvecaserta Basket, Malaga Unicaja, Vitoria Saski Baskonia, Real Madrid, Athens AEK, and Thessaloniki Aris. His most successful stint was with Real Madrid, where he won the Spanish league twice and the EuroLeague championship in 1995. He also won the Italian league and cup.
Croatian basketball legend Nikola Vujčić will also attend the OlyBet DUNK IT event. Vujčić, now the sports director for Tel Aviv Maccabi, won the EuroLeague twice with the team. He started and finished his professional career in Split, Croatia, and also played for ASVEL Villeurbanne, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus, and Efes Pilsen Istanbul, earning championships in Croatia, France, Israel, and the Greek Cup.
Vujčić was named to the EuroLeague first team three times (2005, 2006, and 2007), the second team twice (2003 and 2004), and the EuroLeague team of the decade alongside Ramūnas Šiškauskas and Šarūnas Jasikevičius.
Fans can see the EuroLeague and European Cup trophies and meet Rivers, Arlauckas, and Vujčić for free on June 6 near the OlyBet Sport Bar or on June 7 at “Kablys,” where the OlyBet DUNK IT 3×3 basketball tournament will be held.
