Donatas Zavackas is Making His Mark at Pitt

A freshman at the University of Pittsburgh is rapidly making his name one to remember.

Donatas Zavackas, who came to the U.S. from Lithuania a little over two years ago, is showing great promise on the Pitt basketball team. In a recent game with University of Connecticut, ranked the second best basketball team in the nation, he scored 13 points. He spent this past summer playing for the under-20 Lithuanian National team averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds.

This fun-loving 6' 8", 225-lb. athlete is a good shooter, passer, and a very good rebounder. He is getting the best grades of all the team players and speaks excellent English. He gets along well with everyone and lives on campus.

He was born in 1980 in Klaipėda, Lithuania. His parents are Rima and Kazys Zavackas.

Donatas went to St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark, New Jersey his junior year and transferred to St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio for his senior year, but was out of basketball action in Akron due to high school transfer rules. Although, he did work out with the team.

Pitt scouts signed him and offered him a scholarship. Mike Cawood of the Pitt Media Dept. predicted a bright future for him, particularly in 2002 when Pitt’s new, $68 million convocation center opens in the former Pit Stadium location. The new basketball court will provide 12,500 seats and that, together with Pitt’s sharing of the new Steeler Stadium, will give Pitt the finest football and basketball facilities in the nation.

Donatas follows in the footsteps of many Lithuanians. The basketball tradition was introduced to Lithuania by Lithuanian-Americans eighty years ago, and Lithuanian basketball players are some of the best in the world. They have won European championships two times.

We’re looking forward to hearing a lot about Donatas.