Ignas Brazdeikis
A fierce, left-handed scorer with a Lithuanian heart, he blazed through college basketball before taking his relentless hustle to the professional stage.
Born 1999 (age 27)·Lithuanian-Canadian basketball player·Birthday: January 8·Generation Z
Biography
Ignas Brazdeikis plays with a palpable edge, a style fueled by national pride and a non-stop motor. Born in Lithuania and raised in Canada, he brought a European physicality and skill set to the American college game at the University of Michigan. As a freshman, he immediately became a fan favorite for his fearless drives to the basket and his passionate, chest-thumping demeanor, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. His journey to the NBA was a testament to his work ethic, being a second-round pick who carved out rotation minutes through sheer force of will. Now, playing for the legendary Žalgiris Kaunas in his parents' homeland, he has embraced a homecoming, competing at the highest level of European basketball with the same trademark intensity.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Ignas was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ignas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Ignas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2019 after a standout season with the Michigan Wolverines.
- Selected 47th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and has played for multiple NBA teams including the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.
- Helped lead the Michigan Wolverines to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
- Plays for Žalgiris Kaunas, one of Europe's most storied basketball clubs, in the EuroLeague.
Did You Know?
He is a natural left-handed shooter.
He proudly wears the Lithuanian flag on his sneakers during games.
He moved from Lithuania to Canada with his family when he was a child.
His nickname, "Iggy," is prominently displayed on his custom basketball shoes.
“I play with a chip on my shoulder, for my family and for Lithuania.”
