Kęstutis Kemzūra (born 20 April 1970) is a Lithuanian professional basketballcoach and former player who is currently the head coach of Juventus Utena of the Lithuanian Basketball League. During his playing career, at a height of 1.91 m (6'3") tall, he played at the point guard position.
Professional playing career
Kemzūra started his club playing career as a point guard, with the Lithuanian club Atletas Kaunas. He averaged 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 assist per game in the FIBA Saporta Cup competition's 1992–93 season, in his first year.[1] His next year he had better stats, as he recorded 12.5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the Saporta Cup's 1993–94 season.[2]
After finishing his basketball playing career with the Swans Gmunden, Kemzūra pursued a basketball coaching career. During the 2001–02 season, he was hired by the Turkish club Beşiktaş, as an assistant coach. The following year, he moved to the Lithuanian club Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, where he first worked as an assistant coach, and then later as a head coach.
In December 2009, he signed to be the head coach of the Russian club Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar.[7] In 2011, he was chosen to become the foreign players' coach during the Russian All-Star Game. Kemzūra left the team in 2011.
Kemzūra then signed a contract to be the head coach of the Polish club Asseco Prokom Gdynia, in July 2012.[8] He left Prokom in December 2012. In June 2013, he became the head coach of the Czech club ČEZ Basketball Nymburk.
In December 2016, he became an assistant coach of the Turkish EuroLeague side Darüşşafaka, after Ainars Bagatskis' decision to leave the team.[9] On 3 July 2018 Kemzūra was named an assistant coach of the Greek club Olympiacos, where he would work in that role under the club's head coach David Blatt.[10] On 6 October 2019, Blatt resigned, and Kemzūra became the temporary interim head coach of the team.[11]
Kemzūra debuted as the interim head coach of Olympiacos, on 11 October 2019, and coached Olympiacos to a crushing 89–63 victory versus the Spanish club Valencia Basket.[12] On 20 October 2019 Olympiacos announced that Kemzūra would remain as the head coach of the team, until the end of the 2019–20 season. He was later, however, replaced by Georgios Bartzokas[13]
On 28 March 2023, Kemzūra was appointed as head coach of the newly established Lithuanian club BC Wolves.[14] On 21 January 2024, Kemzūra parted ways with the club after failing to qualify for the EuroCup playoffs.[15]
On 19 December 2008, Kemzūra was appointed as the head coach for Latvia.[18][19] His team finished in 13th place at the EuroBasket 2009. After that, he declined to extend his contract with the team, and instead opted to become the head coach of the senior Lithuanian national basketball team.[20]