Jonas Valanciunas reveals a big difference in relation to European basketball
With the rise of more and more European stars coming to the NBA, it has sparked debates between fans and the media about which brand of basketball is better. In this year’s NBA All-Star Game, the format will pit a team made up of foreign-born players against teams made up of US-born players. The The NBA itself is preparing the European league. The big man of the Denver Nuggets Jonas Valanciunasa veteran of both styles, explained the biggest difference between NBA and European basketball.
During a recent episode of “Old Man and Three,” hosted by Nuggets teammate Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas explained that one main difference between NBA and European basketball is not so much what happens on the court, but more the environment around it.
“It’s probably more brutal there, because some fans just come to fight. Right before the game they just roll up their sleeves and play their game, and then they go back to the gym on the field and just support,” Valanciunas said. “People come here to have a good time. They love basketball, they cheer, but in a different way. Well, it’s just brutal. We’ll throw coins, we’ll throw lighters.”
Before coming to the NBA, Valanciunas played professionally overseas from 2008-2012. He was selected 5th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, but remained overseas for a year before joining the team. He still plays for the Lithuanian national team. Last offseason, there were rumors Valanciunas wanted to return to Europebut ended up staying with the Nuggets.
Valanciunas recently returned to the Nuggets lineup after missing 11 games with a calf injury suffered in late December. He appeared in 35 games, including three starts, with only about 14 minutes per game. He averaged 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 58.5 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from the 3-point line and 78.3 percent from the free throw line.
2026-01-28 19:43:00
