Jonas Valančiūnas

The Lithuanian center who recorded a double-double in his NBA debut and dominated the boards in the playoffs.

Jonas Valančiūnas was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He signed with the team on 18 July 2012 and made his NBA debut on 31 October against the Indiana Pacers, recording 12 points and 10 rebounds to become the first Raptors rookie since Damon Stoudamire in 1995 to record a double-double in his first game. His tenure with the franchise lasted until he was traded on 7 February 2019.

Quick Facts

Position: Center
League: LKL; EuroLeague
Team: Žalgiris
Born: 6 May 1992
Birthplace: Utena, Lithuania
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 5
Drafted by: Toronto Raptors

Lore & Background

Valančiūnas quickly distinguished himself as a cornerstone of the Raptors' interior presence. In July 2013, he won MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League after averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds in four games, though he was not the first non-American to earn the honor. His dominance on the glass was evident early; on 27 December 2013, he grabbed a then career-high 18 rebounds against the New York Knicks, followed by another 21-rebound performance the very next day against the same team. He continued to make an impact in the playoffs, grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 1 of the 2016 playoffs against the Indiana Pacers—just one shy of Chris Bosh's franchise playoff record of 20 rebounds set in 2008. His consistency earned him the Lithuanian Basketball Player of the Year award four times (2011, 2012, 2014, and 2018), though the 2011 and 2012 honors came before he joined the Raptors.

Reader's Guide

Playing for Toronto from 2012 to 2019, Valančiūnas established himself as an efficient scorer and elite rebounder. On 31 January 2015, he scored a then career-high 31 points against the Detroit Pistons. His two-point field goal percentage ranked second in the NBA during the 2014–15 season. He set franchise marks for rebounds in a single quarter (13) on 31 March 2017 and recorded a career-best seven blocks in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on 1 April 2016. His durability was tested when he missed six weeks with a left hand fracture in late 2015, but he returned to help the Raptors secure their first-ever 50-win season. He also led the team to double figures in points for 17 straight games before re-injuring his hand on 14 March 2016.

Did You Know?

Valančiūnas won MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League in 2013; the 2007 Summer League MVP was actually Glen Davis, not Kyrylo Fesenko.
His 21 points and 21 rebounds against Cleveland in the 2018 playoffs is one of several 20-20 playoff games by Raptors players, not an official record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jonas Valančiūnas?

Jonas Valančiūnas is a Lithuanian-born center who spent seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors after being taken fifth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. He signed with the organization in July 2012 and became a defining interior presence for the team until his departure in 2019.

When did Jonas Valančiūnas leave the Raptors?

His time in Toronto ended when he was traded on February 7, 2019, after roughly seven seasons with the club. He had first signed his contract with the team on July 18, 2012, before making his debut that October.