By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
The current plan for Rokas Jokubaitis is to continue playing for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, after signing a new and improved contract with the Yellows, as reported by Moshe Barda on X.
The annual salary exceeds one million euros, and the contract does not include opt-out options, as noted by the insider.
The 24-year-old Lithuanian point guard joined Maccabi before the 2024-25 season. Following a solid Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign and being linked to various potential suitors, he committed to his current club.
His latest journey in Europe’s premier club continental competition amounted to 12.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per contest over 28 appearances, including 24 starts under the guidance of Oded Kattash. Combined with stints at FC Barcelona and Zalgiris, he is a veteran of 193 games.
Back in the 2021-22 season, he was named EuroLeague Rising Star, one year after being selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 34th overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft. His NBA rights were immediately traded, and since remained with the New York Knicks.
The Mazeikiai native and youth product of Zalgiris is also a regular for the senior national team of Lithuania over recent years, including caps in the FIBA World Cup 2023 and EuroBasket 2022.
In the 2024-25 edition of Israel’s Winner League, Jokubaitis tallied 11.0 points, 4.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks per contest over 22 appearances up to the suspension of a deciding Game 3 against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in the Finals of the Playoffs.
Winner League Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best of five)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona 3-0 (96-73, 83-65, 98-75)
Bnei PenLink Herzeliya – Hapoel Netanel Holon 2-3 (78-86, 99-94, 94-86, 96-95, 81-83)
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Hapoel Gilboa Galil 3-0 (103-95, 93-78, 86-72)
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Maccabi Ramat Gan 3-0 (81-58, 102-100, 87-61)
Semifinals (best of three)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Hapoel Netanel Holon 2-0 (90-81, 85-73)
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 1-2 (88-85, 87-98, 83-86)
Finals (best of three)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 1-1 (91-88, 74-77)