Quick Facts
Biography
Darius Maskoliūnas (born January 6, 1971) is a Lithuanian professional basketball coach, former player, and politician. He is currently the assistant coach for Žalgiris Kaunas.
Lithuanian national team
Maskoliūnas was a member of the Lithuanian national team which won bronze medals at the 2000 Olympic Games.
Maskoliūnas works as a coach, and had worked as both assistand and head coach with BC Žalgiris and arch-rival BC Lietuvos Rytas. His stint at Žalgiris ended in controversy, as he was fired during the 2010 LKL final series by then owner Vladimir Romanov. He signed with BC Lietuvos Rytas next season, first as an assistant, but became head coach in April 2011 after coach Aleksandar Trifunović was fired. After the season, he once again became an assistant, this time to Aleksandar Džikić. In October 2012, after Džikić was fired, he became head coach again, but was shockingly fired by Lietuvos Rytas in March 2013.
Nickname
Darius Maskoliūnas has an old nickname "Švarcas", which appeared during his tenure with Kaunas Žalgiris as a player. When he joined Žalgiris, he was extremely skinny point guard and due to his second name Maskoliūnas, which is a little bit similar to English word "Muscules", he got nickname of "Švarcas" (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
Awards
- 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 LKL champion
- 1998 winner of European cup
- 1999 NEBL champion
- 1999 Euroleague champion
- 2000, 2001 winner of Polish Cup
- 2001 winner of Polish Supercup
- 2000 2000 Olympic Games bronze medalist
- 2003 FIBA Champion Cup vicechampion
- 2003 Polish vicechampion
- 2004, 2005 Polish champion