Maccabi Tel Aviv players have started to land in israel as Rokas Jokubaitis was the latest to arrive in the Holy Land ahead of the 2024/25 season. The 23-year old point guard is entering his 7th Euroleague season after having begun his career with Zalgiris and then played the last three years with Barcelona.

The Lithuanian will be an important piece to the yellow-and-blue puzzle after inking a multi-year deal as Jokubaitis will be relied heavily on my the coaching staff as the club made wholesale changes to the roster during the offseason.

The Sports Rabbi was at Ben Gurion Airport to greet Maccabi’s new recruit and got to hear Jokubaitis’s initial thoughts about the project he will be an integral part of going forward.

“It’s very nice to be here,” the floor general began. “I am waiting for the challenge ahead. It’s a big challenge for me and I know there is a lot on my shoulders but there is trust from the coaches, the team and the fans. I can’t wait to start the preparations and how I feel with the team. I know that it’s the right time for me to take that step and I am taking on this challenge. I can’t wait to get going.”

Back in 2003, another Lithuanian point guard arrived in Tel Aviv from Barcelona in one Šarūnas Jasikevičius which Jokubaitis in very well aware of as Saras as he is affectionately known coached the new yellow-and-blue point guard at both of his previous stops and is someone that he very much trusts.

“It’s similar to the path that a big Lithuanian had done and everyone knows him, Saras. I hope that I can at least repeat something that he did here. We had a chat about my next stop in my career. He said I need to go to Maccabi and he has done many good things to help me in my career. I am always here to listen to him.”

As for goals, Jokubaitis is well aware of some of the big rivalries the team has in terms in the country and he also knows the importance that is placed on succeeding in the Euroleague, “There is a big rivalry here in the Israeli League and I am used to big rivalries so I am looking forward to that. The Euroleague is a very important part for Maccabi and its a club with a lot of expectations and play as best as possible. My goal is the highest.”

Oded Katash is known to be a coach that works very well with guards and helps them develop while helping them reach their potential, “He showed a lot of trust in me and a lot of attention when I was talking to Maccabi and I am looking forward to working with him as I have heard so many great things about how he works with point guards and guards and I can’t wait to begin”