Juan Gomez de Liaño brings talent to Lithuania, signs with BC Wolves

Juan Gomez de Liaño is making another big jump in his international basketball career.

Gomez de Liaño will take his talent to Lithuania and become the first male Filipino to sign with a European ball club.

The former University of the Philippines standout will play with the BC Wolves of Lithuanian league Lietuvos krepšinio lyga, as the team announced on Thursday.

"We aim to grow our fan community abroad, and we hope Juan will help us achieve that. Filipinos love basketball, the same as we do here in Lithuania," Rimantas Kaukenas, the President of BC Wolves said in a translated statement.

@juan_swish9 becomes the first-ever player from The Philippines to join a European basketball club. The 22-year-old guard has signed a deal with Wolves until the end of the season. ????#WeAreWolves #Welcome #Philippines #MakeHistory pic.twitter.com/Q92glhxgF2

— BC WOLVES (@wolves_bc) October 20, 2022

"Juan is a young, ambitious, and very talented player. He is motivated to learn and improve. We hope to be a good place for him to grow as a player, and he will use this chance."

The 22-year-old guard previously joined Earth Friends Tokyo Z in the Japan B.League Division 2. He was also crucial in the campaign to the PBA D-League finals of Marinerong Pilipino where they finished as runners-up.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/MGP, GMA News