ORLANDO – The UCF men’s basketball team has added freshman Mintautas Mockus to the 2023-24 roster, head coach Johnny Dawkins announced Friday.
“Mintautas brings a great deal of experience to our team after playing internationally in a few pro leagues,” said Dawkins. “His basketball IQ and his ability to play different positions adds value to our team, and we’re happy to welcome him to our UCF family.”
A native of Klaipeda, Lithuania, Mockus brings the versatility to play both shooting guard and small forward. He graduated from his high school, Klaipeda Vetrunges Gymnasium, in 2022.
Mockus spent time in a pair of professional basketball leagues since 2020. He played in the top two leagues in Lithuania, playing 25 games in the Lithuanian Basketball League with Prienai and 40 in the second tier of his home country for Kretingos Kretinga and Klaipedos Neptunas-Akvaservis. He remained in his home country into 2023 and made the jump to the third tier of Spanish basketball, LEB Plata, and played in nine contests for Clinica Ponferrada.
Mockus was a member of the U18 Lithuania national team for the 2021 FIBA U18 European Challengers tournament. He played in five games, averaging 9.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists while averaging nearly 22.5 minutes while shooting 40.6% from the field.
Mockus put his skills on display at the NBA Academy Games back in July where he was the leading scorer among all attendees.
Mockus is the ninth newcomer for UCF’s inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference and the third incoming freshman. The three rookies are joined by six transfers, Omar Payne from Jacksonville, guard Shemarri Allen from UMKC, guard Jaylin Sellers from Ball State, forward Ibrahima Diallo from San Jose State, forward Marchelus Avery from New Mexico State and guard DeMarr Langford from Boston College.
Mockus will wear No. 10 for the Knights this season.