Finals MVP Edgaras Ulanovas – 2017, 2018, 2020 Joffrey Lauvergne – 2021, 2022 LKL Rising Star Rokas Jokubaitis – 2021 Lukas Lekavičius - 2015 LKL Defensive Player of the Year Thomas Walkup - 2019, 2021 Robertas Javtokas - 2015 LKL Most Improved Player Edgaras Ulanovas - 2016 LKL Coach of the Year Šarūnas Jasikevičius - 2017, 2018, 2019 All-LKL Team James Anderson - 2015 Paulius Jankūnas - 2015, 2016, 2017 Edgaras Ulanovas - 2016, 2019 Lukas Lekavičius - 2017, 2022 Brandon Davies - 2018, 2019 Kevin Pangos - 2018 Marius Grigonis - 2019 Joffrey Lauvergne - 2021 LKL All-Star Game MVP Rimas Kurtinaitis - 1996 Mindaugas Timinskas - 2000 Grigorij Khizhnyak - 2001 Tanoka Beard - 2004, 2005 Jonas Mačiulis - 2007 Kšyštof Lavrinovič - 2013 Darjuš Lavrinovič - 2013 Justin Dentmon - 2014 LKL Best Legionnaire Kevin Pangos - 2018 LKL Moment of The Season Marek Blaževič - 2021 EuroLeague MVP Arvydas Sabonis – 2004 EuroLeague Final Four MVP Tyus Edney – 1999 All-EuroLeague First Team Arvydas Sabonis – 2004 Brandon Davies – 2019 All-EuroLeague Second Team Tanoka Beard – 2005 Darjuš Lavrinovič – 2006 Kevin Pangos – 2018 Paulius Jankūnas – 2018 Rivalries During the Soviet era, Žalgiris had a huge rivalry with CSKA Moscow, the multiple-time champions and Red Army symbol, drawing huge crowds in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The rivalry peaked during the 1980s, with the teams meeting in the USSR championship finals six times, which Žalgiris won in 1985, 1986 and 1987. It is considered to be the top rivalry in USSR basketball. CSKA remains one of the most-hated teams in Kaunas to this day. During the 2000s and 2010s, the teams have met many times in the EuroLeague, with CSKA winning most of the matches. In 2018, during the match for third place, Žalgiris narrowly defeated CSKA, 79–77. Over the years, the two teams also met in the NEBL, as well as the VTB United League, with the matches drawing huge crowds. In 2012, one such VTB match drew a record attendance of 15,812 for the competition and for the Žalgirio Arena. After the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania and the Independence of Lithuania in 1990, and the establishment of the Lithuanian Basketball League in 1993, Žalgiris had a derby rivalry with BC Atletas, coached by former-Žalgiris head coach Vladas Garastas, with both teams fighting for the LKL championship.