New Wing Commit: Kristupas Keinys

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The arrival of Lithuanian forward Kris Keinys this week adds to the deepest position on the Gophers men's basketball team for next season.

After getting his student visa approved to travel to the U.S., Keinys is joining the Gophers for their final week of summer practice. The 6-8 freshman signed in late June with coach Ben Johnson's 2023 class that includes Cameron Christie and walk-on Erick Reader.


"He's going to be another exciting young player for us to develop," Johnson told the Star Tribune. "He's a legit 6-8, long and a really good athlete. He's skilled and can shoot it. Playing in Lithuania in the pro league, he's not going to be fazed. He's hungry to push guys and compete."

Keinys is expected to provide depth at wing and power forward. He'll be competing with sophomore Joshua Ola-Joseph, redshirt freshman Kadyn Bettsand redshirt junior Isaiah Ihnen.
"There's a lot of versatility, a lot of options and a lot of size," Johnson said. "You look at all four of those guys. They're at least 6-7 with good size and good length. I think in our league when you have that 3-4 [position] that has size and combined with skill, it's big."

Ola-Joseph, who averaged 7.4 points and 2.7 rebounds, started 24 games at forward as a freshman last season. Betts (redshirt) and Ihnen (knee injury) both sat out last season, but they're two of the best outside shooters on the team, and have 7-foot wingspans.

The Gophers' frontcourt appears set with top returning scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia, a 6-11 junior, and Pharrel Payne, a 6-9 sophomore. But there will be several options on the wing this season.

Johnson hasn't mentioned redshirting as a possibility yet for Keinys.

"I really like what we've got," Johnson said. "Being able to have depth at that spot feels good. I haven't even talked to him about [redshirting]. All of that stuff will play out. We won't even look at that until we get going in October."

In 2022-23, Keinys played for Neptūnas-Akvaservis in the NKL (National Basketball League), a minor league in Lithuania. He averaged 8.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 38 games. He also averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds for Lithuania's U18 team in the European Championships last year.

"The Gophers were the best program for me," Keinys said this summer. "Everything is built here to make you better every day. We will have a strong team. Ben Johnson is a very good coach. I know that he can take me to another level as a player and a person."
 



"The Gophers were the best program for me," Keinys said this summer. "Everything is built here to make you better every day. We will have a strong team. Ben Johnson is a very good coach. I know that he can take me to another level as a player and a person."

Convince me he's not reading the "easy answers for reporters" transcript sheet Ben was nice enough to type out for him.

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60's Guy said:
Convince me he's not reading the "easy answers for reporters" transcript sheet Ben was nice enough to type out for him.

Like Reply
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Although I certainly hope they prep these guys a little bit, I also feel like this might have more to do with it being his second language. That definitely seems to be my experience with young international students.
 

60's Guy said:
"The Gophers were the best program for me," Keinys said this summer. "Everything is built here to make you better every day. We will have a strong team. Ben Johnson is a very good coach. I know that he can take me to another level as a player and a person."

Convince me he's not reading the "easy answers for reporters" transcript sheet Ben was nice enough to type out for him.

Like Reply
Click to expand...
“Coach Ben Johnson is best genius. He will make me higher pro person and player. I will enjoy the beautiful winters here. So grateful!”
 




word is he shoots like trent, handles like arriel, rebounds like jordan and jumps like sam
 






He is now on the Gophersports roster. Listed as 6’8” and 195#. If he has the genetics he can add 10# of basketball weight by October. It is my expectation that forwards should go 220#. He can can do that on his frame. Have to see how his Euro game translates to the B1G. He certainly adjust and adapt with our coaching staff. The fruits of the coach’s labor will be apparent this season, their first real chance to shine.

We have another wing under 200. Christie. If the Christie, Kris, and others can play D and shoot 40%+ from 3 they are productive at the SF/Wing regardless of their size.
 
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It is so funny cuz this signing is so similar to something Richard Pitino would have done.
 









Keinys said he was from Klaipeda, an area with an interesting history. It was a Baltic German stronghold for centuries and called Memel (city) and Memeland (area) by the Germans. In the period after WWI it became a free state under Allied occupation for a brief period of time and was supposed to have its eventual status determined by referendum. However, Lithuanians occupied the area, annexed it to the new nation of Lithuania in the early 1920s, and renamed it Klaipeda.

In the spring of 1939, Lithunia was given an ultimatum to return the area by Nazi Germany and German troops occupied the area shortly afterward. Hitler rode into the city in triumph but that was to be his last bloodless annexation before WWII.

In early 1945 the Soviets conquered the area. Most of the Germans left before that was completed and most of those who were remained afterwards were expelled or sent to Siberia (along with many non-Germans). The area was annexed to the USSR and remained that way until the collapse of the USSR towards the end of last century.
 
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TwistingMyMelon said:
Keinys said he was from Klaipeda, an area with an interesting history. It was a Baltic German stronghold for centuries and called Memel (city) and Memeland (area) by the Germans. In the period after WWI it became a free state under Allied occupation for a brief period of time and was supposed to have its eventual status determined by referendum. However, Lithuanians occupied the area, annexed it to the new nation of Lithuania in the early 1920s, and renamed it Klaipeda.

In the spring of 1939, Lithunia was given an ultimatum to return the area by Nazi Germany and German troops occupied the area shortly afterward. Hitler rode into the city in triumph but that was to be his last bloodless annexation before WWII.

In early 1945 the Soviets conquered the area. Most of the Germans left before that was completed and most of those who were remained afterwards were expelled or sent to Siberia (along with many non-Germans). The area was annexed to the USSR and remained that way until the collapse of the USSR towards the end of last century.
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Good stuff!
 



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