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jul 25 2026Rimas Kurtinaitis will continue as Lithuania's head coach through the end of the current 2027 World Cup qualifying cycle after reconsidering his decision to step down.
The Lithuanian Basketball Federation has confirmed the continuity of Rimas Kurtinaitis as head coach of the national team. The 66-year-old coach had submitted his resignation after completing the first phase of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, but has ultimately accepted to remain in charge of the national squad.
The decision came after the federation's executive committee met on Friday and unanimously expressed confidence in Kurtinaitis's work. Lithuanian officials asked the coach to reconsider his position, and a day later, the head coach announced he would remain in the role through the end of the current international cycle.
Kurtinaitis explained that the loss to Italy left him with very negative feelings and prompted him to reflect deeply on his future. The coach took responsibility for the team's results, though he acknowledged that the support received from the federation and Lithuanian basketball was decisive in changing his decision.
