Modestas Paulauskas

Modestas Paulauskas, nicknamed 'Iron Modė', is a Lithuanian basketball legend who became the youngest-ever EuroBasket MVP at age 20 and won Olympic gold with the Soviet Union at the controversial 1972 Munich Games.

Modestas Paulauskas, nicknamed 'Iron Modė', was born on March 19, 1945, in Kretinga, Lithuania, and spent his entire club career with Žalgiris Kaunas from 1962 to 1976. He first drew international attention in 1964, winning the inaugural FIBA European Championship for Junior Men with the Soviet Union and being unofficially named the tournament's best player. Paulauskas became the youngest-ever EuroBasket MVP in history in 1965 at just 20 years old, known for his exceptional dribbling ability and all-around game, and was named Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year a record seven times between 1965 and 1972. He represented the Soviet Union at three Olympic Games, and was part of the team that won a controversial gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, defeating the United States 51-50 in one of the most disputed finishes in basketball history after officials controversially replayed the final three seconds. Paulauskas retired as a player in 1976 with his No. 5 jersey retired by Žalgiris Kaunas, and moved into coaching, leading Žalgiris and later Statyba-Lietuvos rytas Vilnius. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991, and was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2021. As of the mid-2020s he remains the last living member of the 1972 Soviet Olympic gold medal-winning team.

Skilled small forward renowned for exceptional dribbling ability and all-around scoring

Widely regarded as one of the greatest Lithuanian basketball players of all time and a foundational figure in the country's basketball tradition

• Olympic gold medal (1972, with the Soviet Union)
• EuroBasket MVP (1965), youngest ever at the time
• FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
• FIBA Hall of Fame (2021)
• 7x Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year