Emerging
Jun 18, 20261
59%
Tautvydas Šležas Joins Panevėžys Lietkabelis Coaching Staff as Assistant

Panevėžys Lietkabelis has added 36-year-old Tautvydas Šležas as an assistant coach to Nenad Čanak, replacing Paulius Malašauskas. Šležas, a former professional player and commentator, previously worked in the Kaunas Žalgiris system and has experience from multiple LKL clubs and Spain.





Quick Facts
Who
Tautvydas Šležas
What
Tautvydas Šležas joins Lietkabelis coaching staff as assistant
When
announced 2026-06-18
Where
Panevėžys, Lithuania
- Tautvydas Šležas joins Lietkabelis coaching staff as assistant
- Šležas will assist head coach Nenad Čanak
- Paulius Malašauskas leaves Lietkabelis to reportedly coach Gargždai
- Šležas previously worked in Kaunas Žalgiris system
- Lietkabelis finished last season without LKL medal and failed to advance in Euro Cup
Panevėžys "Lietkabelis" has officially announced the addition of Tautvydas Šležas to its coaching staff for the upcoming season. The 36-year-old will serve as an assistant to head coach Nenad Čanak, filling the void left by Paulius Malašauskas, who is reportedly leaving to coach Gargždai.
Šležas brings a diverse basketball background, having most recently worked within Kaunas "Žalgiris" system as an assistant coach for the reserve team in the National Basketball League (NKL). He is also widely recognized as a basketball commentator and a former professional player.
As a player, Šležas represented several prominent Lithuanian clubs, including Vilnius "Rytas", its reserve team, and LKL sides from Utena, Prienai, and Alytus. He also gained experience playing in Spain. His playing career spanned both the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the NKL.
Lietkabelis finished the past season without a medal in the LKL—sponsored by Betsson—and failed to advance to the Euro Cup playoffs. However, the team secured a bronze medal at the King Mindaugas Cup (KMT). The addition of Šležas is part of the club's effort to reinforce its coaching staff ahead of the new campaign.
Topics
Why This Matters
This move strengthens Lietkabelis' coaching depth with a versatile basketball mind. Šležas' experience in the Žalgiris system and his broadcast acumen could bring new tactical insights and fresh perspective, potentially boosting the team's LKL performance and Euro Cup hopes next season.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 18, 2026
WireOfficial announcement of Šležas joining Lietkabelis coaching staff