Arturas Milaknis:
Even As A Kid, I Was The Best Shooter

One of Europe's top snipers signed with UNICS over the summer: Lithuanian forward Arturas Milaknis. The 29-year-old is still adjusting to his new team, but has already made a big impact from outside, averaging 44% from beyond the arc.

Milaknis told VTB-League.com about adapting to UNICS and life in Kazan, what it's like playing for Evgeny Pashutin and with family man Keith Langford and shared how the team is preparing for Sunday's game against fellow contender Khimki Moscow Region.

- Arturas, you spent your entire career in Lithuania prior to signing with Kazan. How quickly have you adapted to a new country and team?
- It's been a pretty smooth transition. After EuroBasket, I left the national team and joined UNICS. I received a very warm welcome - the atmosphere on the team is excellent.

- You devoted many years to Zalgiris. How does your former club compare to UNICS?
- It's tough for me to compare because I was born in Kaunas. My family and almost all of my friends live there. I spent most of my life there.

As far as the team is concerned - the biggest difference is that Zalgiris plays in the Euroleague, while UNICS is in the Eurocup. At the same time, the VTB United League is stronger than the Lithuanian league, so Kazan ends up having a tougher schedule over the course of the season.

- How quickly did you connect with head coach Evgeny Pashutin?
- You know, Evgeny is a very friendly and responsive coach. He always wants to know what we're thinking about and what's happening in our lives. He cares about what we're going through. As a coach, he's situational. If he needs to be, he can be strict. At other times, he can be very democratic. You can tell immediately that he's a good person.

- Do you like Kazan?
- I'll admit that the city has pleasantly surprised me. In the past, I'd only visited as an opposing player. I always thought it was a typical provincial Russian city, but now I've discovered a completely different side. I'm very comfortable here. Kazan has everything you could need: restaurants, stores. The city is unusually beautiful, modern and comfortable. At the same time, you can sense the history.

- Who do you hang out with most on the team?
- We don't have any cliques on the team. We hang out as one big group. We get along easily. They're all great, outgoing guys.

- We all know how good Langford is on the court. What's he like off the court?
- Above all, he's a good family man and he's always willing to help. His entire family lives in Kazan. He likes it here. As a result, he's relaxed on the court and plays his best.

- You have an important role as a spot-up shooter. You stretch the defense and pose a constant threat from outside. In your opinion, who's the best in Europe right now in that role?
- As far as last season went, Real's Jaycee Carroll was one of the best. He's a terrific sniper with a reliable shot.

- The 3-point shot is your primary weapon. How did you get to be so effective?
- I think I was born with it. Once I got the ball in my hands, it was clear I had the touch. As a kid, I was the best shooter on the court. I started focusing on it and took a lot of shots from outside. Now I practice my outside shooting for an hour before and after practice and before every game.

- On Sunday, you play another contender, Khimki Moscow Region. How is the team preparing?
- As soon as we returned from Romania, we started breaking down our opponent. We watched video and analyzed Khimki's tactics. Our opponent has a lot of talented players, but they can all be neutralized.

- Because of an injury, you missed several games. Will you play against Khimki? What do you think UNICS's chances are of winning?
- Yes, I had a slight injury, but I will be ready for Sunday's game. We're playing at home and getting better every day. We need to be aggressive on defense and avoid unforced errors. If we can do that, I'm confident we'll beat Khimki. We have a good shot at winning.