Jonas Mačiulis

Jonas Mačiulis
Mačiulis in action with Real Madrid
Nevėžis Kėdainiai
Position Sports director
League Lithuanian Basketball League
Personal information
Born 10 February 1985
Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality Lithuanian
Listed height 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight 235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
NBA draft 2007: undrafted
Playing career 2002–2021
Position Small forward / power forward
Number 8, 19, 18, 9
Career history
2002–2004 Žalgiris-2
2004–2009 Žalgiris Kaunas
2004–2005 Nevėžis Kėdainiai
2009–2011 Olimpia Milano
2012 Baltai Kaunas
2012 Montepaschi Siena
2012–2014 Panathinaikos
2014–2018 Real Madrid
2018 Lokomotiv Kuban
2018–2021 AEK Athens
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Lithuania
FIBA World Cup
Bronze medal – third place Turkey 2010
EuroBasket
Silver medal – second place 2013 Slovenia
Silver medal – second place 2015 France
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Spain
FIBA Under-21 World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2005 Argentina Under-21
FIBA Under-19 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2003 Greece Under-19
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
Silver medal – second place 2005 Russia Under-20
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Czech Republic Under-20
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2007 Thailand

Jonas Mačiulis (born 10 February 1985) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player. Standing at 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in), he mainly played at the small forward position. As a member of the senior Lithuanian national team, he earned an All-EuroBasket Team selection in 2015, as Lithuania won the silver medal.

Early years

Mačiulis spent two years competing in the LKAL, the Lithuanian League 2nd Division. He won the 2003 2nd Division title with LKKA-Žalgiris of Kaunas.

Professional career

Mačiulis made his pro debut in 2004, with the Lithuanian League team Nevėžis. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in his only season with the team. Mačiulis was signed by the Lithuanian team Žalgiris in 2005. He helped Žalgiris win a Baltic League title in 2008, two Lithuanian League titles in 2007 and 2008, and two Lithuanian Cups in 2007 and 2008.

Mačiulis made a leap in production in each of the early years of his career. He had a breakout season in 2006–07, averaging 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague. Mačiulis averaged a career-high 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in the 2008–09 season in the Euroleague.

He scored a career-high 29 points against SLUC Nancy on 8 January 2009. In an 8 April 2009 game against the Lietuvos Rytas, Mačiulis set a Lithuanian League record for three-point field goals made in a game, making 8 in a row.

On 1 July 2009, Mačiulis signed with the Italian League team Olimpia Milano. The deal was worth €1.2 million euros net income over two years. Due to a knee injury, which prevented him from playing basketball for 9 months, Olimpia Milano did not offer him a new contract, despite his good performance before he suffered the injury.

On 8 February 2012, he signed with the Lithuanian team Baltai, until he could get a better contract with another team. The deal with Baltai was worth zero LTL (he played there for free). In his first game back after his injury, against Kalev/Cramo, he scored 16 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and led Baltai to a victory.

On 24 April 2012, he signed with the Italian team Montepaschi Siena for the rest of the season.

On 24 July 2012, he signed a one-year deal with the Greek League team Panathinaikos. On 22 July 2013, he extended his contract for two more years. On 12 June 2014 he was waived.

On 26 July 2014, he signed a two-year deal with Real Madrid. In the 2014–15 season, Real Madrid won the EuroLeague, after defeating Olympiacos, by a score of 78–59, in the EuroLeague Final game. Real Madrid eventually finished the season winning the Spanish League championship, after a 3–0 series sweep in the Spanish League finals series against Barcelona. With that trophy, Real Madrid won the triple crown. He was also voted Lithuanian Player of the Year, for the first time in his career, in 2015, along with Gintarė Petronytė. On 21 May 2016 he signed a new "2+1" contract with the Real Madrid.

On 2 March 2018, he agreed to the termination of the contract with the Real Madrid.

On 6 March 2018, Mačiulis signed with Lokomotiv Kuban of the Russian VTB United League. On 10 July 2018, Mačiulis and Lokomotiv officially parted ways. He signed with AEK Athens on 9 August 2018. Mačiulis signed a contract extension on 2 August 2020.

National team career

Mačiulis during the EuroBasket 2007 bronze medalists meeting ceremony in Vilnius. It was his first tournament with the national team.
Mačiulis (right) with Lithuania men's national basketball team during the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.
Mačiulis attempting a steal from Nenê during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Mačiulis was a member of numerous Lithuanian junior national teams. He played at the 2001 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship. He won a silver medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, a bronze medal at the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, a silver medal at the 2005 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, and a gold medal at the 2005 FIBA Under-21 World Cup.

As a member of the senior men's Lithuanian national basketball team, Mačiulis played at the EuroBasket 2007, where the Lithuanians claimed bronze medals. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he took 4th place. In the 2010 FIBA World Championship, he won a bronze medal. In the EuroBasket 2013, Lithuania was runner-up, and Mačiulis played one of the best games of his career with national team, in the semi-finals against Croatia.

He was also a member of Lithuania's team at the EuroBasket 2009 and the 2012 Summer Olympics. He also played at the EuroBasket 2015. On 13 September 2015, in the eighth-finals game against Georgia, Mačiulis lead his team to an 85–81 win, posting tremendous numbers: 34 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. The Lithuanian team later won its second consecutive EuroBasket silver medal, and Mačiulis was included into the All-Tournament Team, after averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. His teammate, Jonas Valančiūnas, also made the All-Tournament Team.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high
Denotes seasons in which Mačiulis won the EuroLeague

EuroLeague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2005–06 Žalgiris 20 3 15.7 .372 .314 .750 2.5 .4 1.0 .0 5.4 3.4
2006–07 14 14 29.9 .431 .241 .653 5.0 1.6 2.4 .4 12.7 12.9
2007–08 20 18 26.5 .469 .377 .689 3.5 .7 1.5 .1 11.9 8.8
2008–09 10 10 30.4 .421 .411 .600 5.0 2.0 1.3 .3 14.0 12.6
2009–10 Milano 10 9 24.0 .398 .314 .724 3.8 1.7 1.3 .0 10.2 7.9
2010–11 6 5 23.2 .472 .583 .615 3.7 1.5 1.5 .3 10.8 11.5
2012–13 Panathinaikos 29 29 24.4 .472 .402 .714 4.1 1.1 .8 .2 10.1 9.3
2013–14 27 25 23.9 .412 .333 .745 4.2 1.7 1.7 .0 8.1 9.6
2014–15 Real Madrid 27 7 14.0 .370 .333 .724 2.4 1.0 .6 .1 3.9 4.3
2015–16 25 19 17.5 .469 .262 .828 1.8 .9 .6 .0 4.7 3.7
2016–17 29 27 16.4 .558 .500 .720 2.3 .8 .7 .1 6.1 7.0
Career 188 139 22.6 .494 .346 .707 3.4 1.1 1.2 .1 8.3 8.2

FIBA Champions League

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 A.E.K. 17 23.9 .379 .343 .732 4.9 1.4 .8 .1 8.6