BYU has added another international piece to its roster in Dovydas Buika, a guard who arrives in Provo with a resume built on big moments for Žalgiris Kaunas and Lithuania.
Buika’s most recent calling card came at the 2025 NextGen EuroLeague finals in Abu Dhabi, where he helped Žalgiris Kaunas win the title. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the finals, opening with 24 points against INSEP before delivering 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists in an 89-81 championship win over Emporia Armani Milan.
His path to the finals was just as impressive. Žalgiris earned its wild card after finishing first in Group A in Ulm, Germany, and Buika was one of the tournament’s standout players there.
He put up 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team and posted 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists against Barcelona. He also scored at least 20 points in two of Žalgiris’ first three games in Germany.
Associated head coach Tim Fanning said the staff had been watching Buika for years and pointed to the kind of foundation Žalgiris provides. “We have been tracking Dovydas him for a few years and coming from Zalgiris, there are few clubs in Europe when a guy comes out of that system you know they are ready for high-level basketball and Zalgiris are one of those places,” Fanning said.
“He was a team captain of some very successful teams there. We love his versatility.
He can play multiple guard spots. Character wise, he’s a great fit at BYU.”
Buika also brings a strong international track record with Lithuania. At last summer’s FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he averaged 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. He scored in double figures in each of the first four games and had a 26-point outing against Latvia in the Round of 16, hitting 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
At the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, he averaged 14.3 points, shot 42.4 percent from the field and 84.6 percent from the free throw line. He also ranked fourth in assists per game at 4.8 in a field that included former Cougar and No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft AJ Dybantsa. His 17 points, six rebounds and six assists helped Lithuania beat China 76-70 in the Round of 16.
His international résumé goes back even further. Buika was the youngest player on Lithuania’s 2022 FIBA U16 EuroBaskest team and averaged 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. His best performance came in the Round of 16, when he scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep, and added six rebounds, six steals and three assists in a 97-48 win.
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