After spending the past 14 years in the NBA, veteran center Jonas Valanciunas returned to his native Lithuania this summer, having signed a two-year deal with Zalgiris Kaunas.

In his first preseason game with the EuroLeague club, the 34-year-old had a strong performance, finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds in just 19 minutes in a victory over Riga Zelli, per Alessandro di Bari of Sportando.

“It’s great to be back, put the green jersey on again and play basketball,” Valanciunas said. “The game was a test, a chance to see where we are. We’re still working on things and trying to put everything together. We’ve only been together for a week, and it was a very intense one. There’s still a lot to improve, but that’s exactly why we’re here. We got together early so we would have enough time to put everything in place. I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

Here’s more from around the international basketball world:

• Speaking to Yann Ohnona of L’Équipe, longtime NBA wing Evan Fournier said Victor Wembanyama‘s presence has given him motivation to continue competing with the French national team, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops relays. “He’s a global megastar, but on a daily basis, he is also a great guy, focused on others, who really wants to perform,” Fournier said about Wembanyama. “The fact that he’s there, I’m not going to lie, has been a motivation for me to continue. Seeing a kid who wants to achieve things and puts in the effort is inspiring. … I don’t want to come just for the sake of coming.” Fournier, 33, has won two Olympic silver medals with Team France.
• Although he officially retired as a player in March, Hall of Famer Dwight Howard will return to Taiwan next month to play in a charity exhibition game, the New Taipei Kings announced (via Instagram). As Dario Skerletic of Sportando notes, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year had two professional stints in Taiwan before he announced his retirement.
• AS Monaco, which lost in the finals of the 2024/25 EuroLeague playoffs, is dealing with financial difficulties and is not expected to play professionally in France during the upcoming season, writes Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops. Monaco has won three of the past four domestic titles in France’s top league, the LNB Élite. The team may not compete in the EuroCup either, with Mozzart Sport reporting that Monaco might be replaced by KK Bosna.