New York Knicks draft-and-stash guard Rokas Jokubaitis suffered a significant knee injury during EuroBasket 2025, casting further doubt on whether he will ever suit up for the franchise.
Basketnews reported Tuesday that Jokubaitis sustained an ACL and meniscus injury in his left knee after undergoing an MRI. The 24-year-old will travel to Munich for further evaluation with Bayern Munich’s medical staff. The setback will sideline him for another NBA season and delay his potential arrival in New York.
Jokubaitis signed a three-year deal with Bayern Munich earlier this summer, making him one of the German club’s centerpiece additions ahead of the EuroLeague season. His injury occurred at the start of the fourth quarter in Lithuania’s 81-78 win over Finland. Driving to the basket, Jokubaitis planted his foot awkwardly after light contact with a defender and immediately collapsed to the floor.
Visibly in pain, the Lithuanian guard called to be substituted, hobbled to the sideline, and lay down near the coaching staff. Teammates later greeted him in the locker room following his exit.
Before leaving the game, Jokubaitis had delivered another standout performance. He finished with a team-high 16 points, nine assists, two rebounds, and one steal while shooting 6-for-13 from the field in 26 minutes. He posted a plus/minus of +9 with an efficiency rating of 16.
Rokas Jokubaitis’ injury halts standout EuroBasket run and prolongs Knicks’ wait for draft pick
The injury disrupted what had been a stellar tournament for Jokubaitis. Through four games at EuroBasket, he averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range. He led Lithuania in scoring, assists, steals, efficiency rating, and plus/minus, with a tournament-best +11.
Lithuania holds a 3-1 record in Group B and is preparing to face Sweden on Wednesday. The team also features Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas and currently trails unbeaten Germany, which is powered by Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner and Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder.
Jokubaitis’ injury adds to a long-standing saga with the Knicks. Drafted 34th overall in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, his rights were quickly traded to New York in a package that included Miles McBride. Despite participating in the 2021 Summer League, Jokubaitis returned to FC Barcelona and has remained overseas ever since. Each season has fueled speculation about his NBA future, but injuries and contractual commitments have kept him in Europe.
For New York, the latest development likely cements another year without Jokubaitis. The Knicks are less than two months away from their season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 22 at Madison Square Garden, a nationally televised game on ESPN.
With Jokubaitis sidelined for the foreseeable future, Lithuania’s EuroBasket campaign and the Knicks’ upcoming NBA season will both move forward without one of the tournament’s most productive guards.
