The coach, who led the independent Lithuanian national team to a silver medal at the European Championship in 1995 and marched to bronze at the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996. He was the head coach of Kaunas “Žalgiris” from 1979 to 1989, during which time he won three Soviet Union championship titles (1985-1987). He is an honorary citizen of the cities of Kaunas and Biržai.