Rytas Wins the 2026 Champions League Final
Lithuanian club Rytas claimed victory in the 2026 Basketball Champions League final, held in Badalona. Despite trailing by 20 points, the team mounted a comeback to secure the title. Simas Lukosius was named tournament MVP.
Victory Celebration and Family Legacy
The championship celebration turned into a standout moment for forward Gytis Masiulis, who recreated a famous photo of his father, Tomas Masiulis. The original image, taken in 1999, shows Tomas naked with the trophy after his team, Kaunas-based Žalgiris, won the EuroLeague. That picture has become an iconic piece of Lithuanian basketball history.
In 1999, Tomas Masiulis was still a player when he celebrated that way; last season, he repeated the same gesture as an assistant coach for Fenerbahçe.
Gytis Masiulis, now 28, posted his version of the photo on Instagram, honoring the family tradition. The time gap between the original shot and his copy is 27 years. Tomas Masiulis also publicly congratulated his son on the victory, highlighting the significance of the achievement for the family.
The team and fans reacted positively to Gytis’s gesture. One Lithuanian supporter remarked:
“When your father sets such a high bar—both in basketball and in celebrations—you simply can’t ignore it.”
This reflects the successful continuation of the Masiulis family dynasty in basketball. Thus, Rytas’s win was not only a sporting achievement but also a continuation of the family’s storied legacy in the sport.
This Champions League victory for Rytas underscores not just the team’s athletic accomplishments but also the importance of traditions passed down through generations. Gytis Masiulis’s celebration has become a symbol of the link between past and present, embodying family values in the world of sports. The match results and individual player achievements highlight the growing prominence of Lithuanian basketball on the international stage, which could positively impact the sport’s development in the country.