At just 19, Nedas Cholevinskas leads the SLB in free throw attempts per minute, using his craft to disrupt defences and consistently generate points at the line. This rare ability has made him one of the league’s most intriguing young talents.
While his foul-drawing is exceptional, Cholevinskas’ game remains unpolished in other areas. This season is an opportunity for him to showcase his potential and begin building a more versatile offensive repertoire.
Foul-Drawing Leaders in the SLB
Foul-drawing can dictate the flow of a game, creating free throws, forcing substitutions, and disrupting defensive schemes. In the SLB, a few players have mastered this underappreciated art. The table below highlights the league’s leaders in free throw attempts per minute (FTA/Min) and their free throw shooting percentage (FT%), with Cholevinskas sitting at the very top.
| Player Name | Team | FTA Per Min | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nedas Cholevinskas | Surrey 89ers | 0.247 | 81.8% |
| Jaiden Delaire | London Lions | 0.243 | 80.3% |
| Alen Hadzibegovic | London Lions | 0.242 | 35.0% |
| Jared Bynum | Newcastle Eagles | 0.210 | 60.0% |
| Cameron Holden | Cheshire Phoenix | 0.208 | 78.0% |
| Blake Bowman | Leicester Riders | 0.204 | 68.4% |
| Kendal Lewis | Bristol Flyers | 0.204 | 75.0% |
| Ovie Soko | London Lions | 0.202 | 68.4% |
| Rodney Chatman III | B. Braun Sheffield Sharks | 0.192 | 87.2% |
At 0.247 FTA per minute, Cholevinskas leads the league in generating trips to the line—a rare feat for a player his age. His talent for earning trips to the free-throw line and converting at 81.8% makes him an invaluable offensive weapon for the Surrey 89ers.
Building a Game Around Free Throws
While Cholevinskas leads the league in free throw attempts, it is how much he relies on them for his scoring that truly stands out, as shown in the table below. In fact, 54.5% of his total points come from free throws—the highest percentage in the league.
| Player Name | Team | FT as % of PTS |
|---|---|---|
| Nedas Cholevinskas | Surrey 89ers | 54.5% |
| Darius Defoe | Newcastle Eagles | 44.0% |
| Trevond Barnes | Caledonia Gladiators | 37.0% |
| Duke Shelton | Leicester Riders | 36.8% |
| Jordan Spencer | Newcastle Eagles | 35.6% |
| Jared Bynum | Newcastle Eagles | 35.3% |
| Kendal Lewis | Bristol Flyers | 30.0% |
| Jaiden Delaire | London Lions | 29.8% |
| Ovie Soko | London Lions | 29.5% |
This reliance on free throws raises an important question. Can Cholevinskas expand his offensive game beyond drawing fouls? While his ability to generate trips to the line is elite, the rest of his game is still developing. His three-point shooting sits at just 18 percent, limiting him as a perimeter threat and allowing defenders to sag off without consequence.
His role as a low-minute bench contributor adds further context. Averaging just over ten minutes per game, he has made the most of his opportunities but has yet to show he can contribute consistently in other ways. Without a reliable jump shot or an expanded offensive arsenal, defences may adjust, reducing his effectiveness.
For Cholevinskas, the challenge is to complement his elite foul-drawing ability with a more balanced skill set. Developing a perimeter game and refining his versatility could help him sustain success as he earns a larger role.
Potential Beyond Free Throws
Nedas Cholevinskas is already proving himself as one of the SLB’s most exciting young players. At just 19 years old, his ability to draw fouls at an elite level has made him a standout, but his journey is only beginning.
Playing for the Surrey 89ers, a team struggling near the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency, Cholevinskas has shown flashes of promise in a limited role off the bench. While his foul-drawing is a strong foundation, thriving in a more structured system could unlock his full potential. Developing a balanced offensive game with improved off-ball movement, shot selection, and perimeter shooting would allow him to elevate both his performance and his team’s success.
With continued growth, Cholevinskas could turn his foul-drawing skill into a reliable weapon and secure a more significant role—one that makes him a consistent contributor in the SLB for years to come.
