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Jonas Valanciunas entered preseason media day for the Denver Nuggets determined to silence the outside noise.

Much of the chatter over the summer had centered on interest from EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos Aktor, sparking speculation that the veteran center might consider a return to Europe.

However, Valanciunas made his priorities clear – his focus is on Denver and the upcoming season.

“One thing I want to clarify is I’m here,” the 33-year-old Lithuanian said firmly. “I’m happy to be here, and I’m gonna dive in to do everything to win more games than ever.”

Asked whether he had second thoughts about committing to the Nuggets, he brushed aside any doubts.

“Just being here, I’m comfortable and I’m happy. If I’m not happy, I’m not gonna be here, right?” he said. “We’ve got to put everything behind us because it is now history. Now we have a future in front of us. We got to do our jobs to make this future even brighter.”

The veteran big man joined Denver after another busy summer that included representing Lithuania at EuroBasket 2025. With his national team duties behind him, he is ready to embrace what he views as the most promising opportunity of his NBA career.

“I’m excited to go again, my 14th season, to jump in and be in probably the best situation I’ve ever had to win a championship,” Valanciunas said.

Now entering year 14, the player has logged 995 NBA games across the regular season and playoffs since being drafted fifth overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2011. That long journey has shaped his perspective on what it takes to be successful.

“I’ve learned that it’s a team sport,” he reflected. “Sometimes, you’ve gotta put your ego aside, put your everything aside to be successful. Sometimes you need to support your teammates more than you can support yourself. Those little things come together for good teams, the teams seeking to be the best.”

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