 Kęstutis Kemzūra, while coachingLithuania's national team, atEuroBasket 2011 | |||||||||||||||
| Juventus Utena | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Head coach | ||||||||||||||
| League | Lithuanian Basketball League | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1970-04-20)20 April 1970 (age 55) Kaunas, Lithuania | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Lithuanian | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 91 kg (201 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1992–2001 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Point guard | ||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2001–present | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Atletas Kaunas | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Šilutė | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Kalnapilis Panevėžys / Sema Panevėžys | ||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Swans Gmunden | ||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Beşiktaş (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Dynamo Saint Petersburg (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Lithuania (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Benetton Treviso (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Khimki | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Latvia | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Lokomotiv Kuban | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2012 | Lithuania | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Asseco Prokom Gdynia | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | ČEZ Nymburk | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Austria | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Darüşşafaka (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Olympiacos (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Olympiacos | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Petkim Spor | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Lithuania (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | BC Wolves | ||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Juventus Utena | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
As head coach:
As assistant coach:
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Medals
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Kęstutis Kemzūra (born 20 April 1970) is a Lithuanian professionalbasketballcoach and former player who is currently the head coach ofJuventus Utena of theLithuanian Basketball League. During his playing career, at a height of 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) tall, he played at thepoint guard position.
Kemzūra started hisclub playing career as apoint guard, with the Lithuanian clubAtletas Kaunas. He averaged 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 assist per game in theFIBA Saporta Cup competition's1992–93 season, in his first year.[1] His next year he had better stats, as he recorded 12.5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the Saporta Cup's1993–94 season.[2]
In 1996, he moved to the Lithuanian clubŠilutė. After that, he went to the Lithuanian clubLietuvos Rytas Vilnius, for the 1998–99 season, where he became aplayer coach. Kemzūra left the team in November, and joined the Lithuanian clubKalnapilis Panevėžys. In the1999–2000 season, he played in theFIBA Korać Cup competition withSema Panevėžys. His last playing season was the 2000–01 season, in which he played with the Austrian clubSwans Gmunden.
Kemzūra also briefly played with the seniorLithuanian national basketball team in 1994.[3] He played with Lithuania at the qualification tournament for theEuroBasket 1995.[4]
After finishing his basketball playing career with theSwans Gmunden, Kemzūra pursued abasketball coaching career. During the 2001–02 season, he was hired by the Turkish clubBeşiktaş, as an assistant coach. The following year, he moved to the Lithuanian clubLietuvos Rytas Vilnius, where he first worked as an assistant coach, and then later as ahead coach.
He spent the next three years working as an assistant coach with the Russian clubDynamo Saint Petersburg, and the Italian clubBenetton Treviso. In 2007, Kemzūra became the head coach of the Russian clubKhimki Moscow Region.[5] He was replaced in that role bySergio Scariolo, in December 2008.[6]
In December 2009, he signed to be the head coach of the Russian clubLokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar.[7] In 2011, he was chosen to become the foreign players' coach during the Russian All-Star Game. Kemzūra left the team in 2011.
Kemzūra then signed a contract to be the head coach of the Polish clubAsseco Prokom Gdynia, in July 2012.[8] He left Prokom in December 2012. In June 2013, he became the head coach of the Czech clubČEZ Basketball Nymburk.
In December 2016, he became an assistant coach of the TurkishEuroLeague sideDarüşşafaka, afterAinars Bagatskis' decision to leave the team.[9] On 3 July 2018 Kemzūra was named an assistant coach of the Greek clubOlympiacos, where he would work in that role under the club's head coachDavid Blatt.[10] On 6 October 2019, Blatt resigned, and Kemzūra became the temporary interim head coach of the team.[11]
Kemzūra debuted as the interim head coach of Olympiacos, on 11 October 2019, and coached Olympiacos to a crushing 89–63 victory versus the Spanish clubValencia Basket.[12] On 20 October 2019 Olympiacos announced that Kemzūra would remain as the head coach of the team, until the end of the2019–20 season. He was later, however, replaced byGeorgios Bartzokas[13]
On 28 March 2023, Kemzūra was appointed as head coach of the newly established Lithuanian clubBC Wolves.[14] On 21 January 2024, Kemzūra parted ways with the club after failing to qualify for theEuroCup playoffs.[15]
At theEuroBasket 2005 and2006 FIBA World Championship, Kemzūra served as an assistant coach with the seniorLithuanian national team. On 5 November 2009, Kemzūra became the head coach of Lithuania.[16][17] Under Kemzūra, Lithuania won the bronze medal at the2010 FIBA World Championship. He also coached the team to a 5th-place finish at theEuroBasket 2011, and to an 8th-place finish at the2012 Summer Olympics. In October 2012, he was replaced as head coach byJonas Kazlauskas. In October 2021, Kemzūra returned to the team as an assistant coach underKazys Maksvytis. He left the position in June 2023.
On 19 December 2008, Kemzūra was appointed as the head coach forLatvia.[18][19] His team finished in 13th place at theEuroBasket 2009. After that, he declined to extend his contract with the team, and instead opted to become the head coach of the seniorLithuanian national basketball team.[20]
On 29 January 2016, Kemzūra became the head coach ofAustria, and he coached them at theEuroBasket 2017 qualification.[21][22] Despite Austria's failed attempt to qualify forEuroBasket 2017, his contract was extended at the end of the year.[23]
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