Lithuanian Basketball League president Remigijus Milasius is facing backlash from players in Lithuania following his comments about Vilnius Wolves’ debts to former players, stating that he would have “kicked out the players and not paid a single euro” for not doing their job properly.
Lithuanian League (LKL) president Remigijus Milasius is facing backlash from players and the basketball community in Lithuania following his comments about Wolves Vilnius debts to former players, after the club ceased operations following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
Wolves haven’t competed in the 2025-26 season, and the LKL has already approved their request to further suspend the team’s license for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
However, players from the 2024-25 season still haven’t been paid.
Back at the end of February, BasketNews journalist Lukas Malinauskas reported that due to unmet obligations by Wolves – specifically, failing to settle payments with players – a case had been brought before the FIBA Arbitral Tribunal (BAT).
Remigijus Milasius’ Controversial Remarks About Wolves Debts to Players
However, for Milasius, it doesn’t seem like a problem.
“I would have kicked them out and not paid a single euro,” these words from LKL president Remigijus Milasius about Wolves have sparked a reaction from the Lithuanian Professional Basketball Players Association (LPKA).
Credit R. Lukoševičius
LPKA is watching the situation with concern, questioning whether Lithuanian basketball is really returning to the times when salaries depended not on contracts, but on the owner’s mood.
In the MiSsMATCH podcast published on Thursday, the host asked Milasius whether Wolves should first settle their debts before requesting another suspension of operations for an additional season.
“Look, I’ll answer very simply,” Milasius said. “I would have dealt with them much earlier. In basketball, and probably in sports in general, there is no greater injustice. If I hire an employee, we agree on a salary, and we work together. Right?
“But for some reason, people don’t want to work. One is pretending to be sick, another one, and so on. And where do you find them? In bars, elsewhere. Do you think no one knows where they are or what they do? I would have gotten rid of them and not paid a single euro,” Milasius claimed.
The LKL president was then asked to clarify how it is possible to objectively determine whether a player is simulating or failing to properly perform their duties.
“Not difficult at all. Very simple,” Milasius replied. “If you have a serious club, a serious organization, it’s done very easily.”
“It’s not about the game itself, but about professionalism,” he continued. “You don’t know this. If there is a proper club, you gather all the information about the player. There’s no problem. When you sign a player, you don’t know everything. Only later do various things come out, and they’re easy to find out.
“In my job, if I see that someone is not working, I fire them. Right? And that’s it. Whatever the state owes under the law, I pay, and that’s it. Here it’s different. Pay for a year? For what? He’s not doing the job.”
When asked again how you can tell if a player is simulating, Milasius responded with a question: “What, you didn’t see it?”
“When an agent asks for 200 thousand for him, then, my dear, work for 200 thousand,” Milasius added.
Players and Officials Respond Strongly
BasketNews.lt contacted LPKA executive director Laimonas Kisielius, who said he did not understand the LKL president’s statements, although he is no longer surprised by them.
“Perhaps this very accurately shows what we think about players who always do their job, and what the product actually is,” Kisielius noted. “I don’t know how you can say something like this and expect no reaction.
“What is the purpose of saying this? Not paying players… Maybe then nobody should play at all? I don’t really understand such a position. We all have to take responsibility for our words in some way. Something that comes out of your mouth should mean something, right?
Credit Erikas Ovčarenko/BNS
“What is being suggested now is that players don’t play; therefore, they shouldn’t be paid. Where are we? What decade are we living in? To be honest, I was not surprised at all by such an attitude. There have been similar statements before,” Kisielius added.
Donatas Motiejunas Criticizes LKL’s Leadership
President of the Lithuanian Professional Basketball Players Association (LPKA) and current Crvena Zvezda player Donatas Motiejunas also drew attention to LKL president Remigijus Milasius’ stance on Wolves’ debts.
“It is sad to see such an attitude from a person who leads the Lithuanian Basketball League,” Motiejunas wrote on his Instagram story. “From such a position, more is expected, but it seems that today there is a lack of understanding of professional sport and club responsibilities.”
Players Voice Frustration Publicly
Lithuanian player Edvinas Seskus, who is currently not playing this season, publicly expressed sadness over Milasius’ remarks.
“And then they wonder why Lithuanians don’t want to play in Lithuania,” Seskus commented on Instagram.
Credit Betsafe-LKL/R.Lukoševičius
Former Wolves player Andrew Andrews also did not remain silent after the LKL president’s comments.
“Took players away from their families, not to pay them. Terrible business,” Andrews wrote on Instagram.
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