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Kestitis KemzuraFormer Soviet and Lithuanian basketball player, and now coach of BC Lokomotiv-Kuban and the Lithuanian national team
Date of Birth: 20.04.1970
Country:  Lithuania |
Content:
- Playing Career
- Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius and Game Coach
- International Career
- Coaching Career
- Leading Russian and Polish Teams
- International Coaching
- Latvian National Team
- Austrian National Team
- Return to Lithuanian Basketball
Playing Career
Atletas Kaunas and ShilluteKęstutis Kemzūra, standing at 6'3" (1.91 m), began his professional playing career as a point guard for Atletas Kaunas in 1992. In his debut season, he averaged 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1 assist per game in the FIBA Saporta Cup. The following year, his performance improved significantly, averaging 12.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists per game in the Saporta Cup. In 1996, Kemzūra moved to Shillute.
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius and Game Coach
In 1998, Kemzūra joined Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, where he took on the role of player-coach for the 1998-99 season. He left the team in November and signed with BC Kalnapilis Panevežys. In the 1999-00 season, he played in the FIBA Korać Cup with Sema Panevežys.
International Career
Kemzūra briefly represented Lithuania's senior national team in 1994, appearing in the qualifying tournament for the 1995 EuroBasket.
Coaching Career
Team CoachingAssistant and Head Coaching Roles
After retiring from playing, Kemzūra transitioned into coaching. He began as an assistant coach for Beşiktaş in 2001-02 before joining Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius as an assistant coach and later as head coach. Subsequently, he served as an assistant coach for Dynamo St. Petersburg and Benetton Treviso.
Leading Russian and Polish Teams
In 2007, Kemzūra became head coach of Khimki Moscow Region, where he stayed until 2008. He then took over as head coach of Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar in 2009. In 2011, he was chosen as the head coach for the foreign team in the Russian All-Star Game. He departed the team in the same year.
In 2012, Kemzūra signed as head coach for Polish club Asseco Prokom Gdynia, leaving the team in December of that year. He then became head coach of Czech club ČEZ Basketball Nymburk in June 2013.
International Coaching
Lithuanian National TeamKemzūra served as assistant coach for the Lithuanian national team at the 2005 and 2006 FIBA World Championships. In 2009, he became head coach of the Lithuanian national team, leading them to a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He held the position until 2012, after the team's 8th place finish at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Latvian National Team
In 2008, Kemzūra was appointed head coach of the Latvian national team, guiding them to a 13th place finish at the 2009 EuroBasket. He declined to extend his contract and instead became head coach of Lithuania's national team.
Austrian National Team
In 2016, Kemzūra took over as head coach of the Austrian national team, coaching them in the 2017 EuroBasket qualifiers. Despite Austria's failure to qualify, his contract was extended at the end of the year.
Return to Lithuanian Basketball
In 2023, Kemzūra was named head coach of BC Wolves, a team participating in the inaugural season of the Lithuanian Basketball League.
