Next Level Basketball Prep (FL) 2026-27 Player Profiles
Next Level Basketball Prep is the post-graduate basketball program based in Hollywood, FL, under the umbrella of the Next Level Basketball grassroots program. The post-grad team is the newest arm of Next Level Basketball, which has built a substantial youth footprint in South Florida - as a player development program covering athletic and skill development, plus club teams that compete in local and national leagues. The post grad program extends that infrastructure to players who have finished high school and are chasing a college offer. It operates out of the Next Level Basketball facility, a 12,000-square-foot building with a regulation full court, two regulation half courts, a weight room with a turf strip, an LED video wall, and Gun 14X Smart Pass shooting machines with shot analytics and decision-mode training.
The post grad program's head coach Laimonas Chatkevičius. Coach Chatkevičius is a post grad prep school product himself. He came to the U.S. in summer 2009 to experience American high school basketball, returned to Lithuania for his junior year, then played his senior season at South Kent School (CT), earning a three star recruit ranking by Rivals. He played for Team Lithuania in multiple FIBA World Championships. He went on to play college ball at South Carolina, had a summer league stint with the Dallas Mavericks and played pro ball in Lithuania.
Prior to this season, for four seasons, Chatkevičius was the head coach at Forges Academy (FL) in the Florida Sun Basketball Conference, where he won over 100 games and last year's FSBC Coach of the Year honors. His Forges team also was the runner up in the Big Shots Nationals tournament.
As you can see from the roster below, Coach Chatkevičius is tapping into the Lithuanian talent pipeline for his 2026-27 team.
Gabrielius Anskinas (2027) 6’10, 6'10 wingspan, 217 lb center - From Lithuania, Anskinas is an athletic 5-man. He puts significant pressure on the rim as a roll man and in transition. Strong rebounder on both ends of the floor and excellent at carving out space on the block. He is a good weak-side helper, and shot blocker. 2.8 gpa
Magnas Butkus (2027) 6'3 wing - From Lithuania, Butkus' strong body makes him a pest on defense and his hunger for rebounds will surprise most. He is a strong straight line driver that knows when to kick it out. 3.0 gpa
Meinardas Dumcius (2027) 6'6 wing - From Lithuania, Dumcius is a lengthy guard who runs well in transition. He is a skilled finisher around the rim and has an elite mid-range game. He led his club team in scoring and won the U19u Lithuanian championship. 2.5 gpa
Nikas Janeliauskas (2027) 6'5, 6'7 wingspan shooting guard - From Lithuania, Janeliauskas has a quick trigger and good passing ability. His length gives him a defensive advantage against smaller guards. As a guard with size and a high basketball IQ, Nikas will be a huge help for the NLB Prep this upcoming season. 2.8 gpa
Deimantas Jonikas (2027) 6’3 combo guard - From Lithuania, Jonikas has an excellent feel coming off ball screens and can make high level reads. A combo guard who can actually run point and has range. 2.9 gpa.
Vytautas Meskela (2027) - 6’7 forward/center - From Lithuania, Meskela is a versatile defender with length and a strong frame who can guard multiple positions and fits well in switch-heavy defensive schemes. He is an active rebounder and a strong post-up presence on offense. As a big man with good court vision, he can make reads and find open teammates from the post. Meskela also brings international experience from competing in European youth tournaments as part of the Rytas Vilnius youth system. 3.5 gpa
Ryan Miranda (2027) - 6'5 small forward - From South Florida, Miranda is a physical rebounder and defender with the versatility to guard multiple positions. Miranda was a key contributor for a Miami Country Day (Miami, FL) team that finished as state runner-up in the Class 2A FHSAA State Championship, leading the team in rebounds at 7.2 per game. Miranda is also part of the Florida Bright Futures program (a strong academic achievement scholarship award). 4.0+ gpa
Gustas Rakauskas (2027) 7'1 center - A Lithuanian-Irish Center coming from Stella Azzurra Rome, an elite development academy based in Italy. Rakauskas was selected to be part of The Star Alliance, a powerhouse collective merging elite prospects from Stella Azzurra and Orange1 Bassano. Through this alliance, he became part of the first-ever European roster to compete consistently in The Grind Session, a highly prominent winter circuit of elite high school basketball events across the United States. A legitimate 7-footer with a 7'4 wingspan, he was a key physical anchor inside for their junior international tournaments and Italian Under-19 configurations. 2.8 gpa
Kipras Redeckas (2027) 6'5 wing athletic - From Lithuania, Redeckas is lengthy and has both European and American basketball experience. His ability to score in many ways and guard multiple positions will helps his team fill in a lot of gaps on both ends of the floor. 2025-26 All-District Team for Webb School, Bell Buckle, TN. 3.7 gpa
Jonas Soblinskas (2027) 6'6, 6'6 wingspan, 200 lb guard - From Lithuania, Soblinskas is a strong rebounding guard with range and a quick first step. He has a high basketball IQ, which helps him make the right reads in tough situations. 2.7 gpa
To accommodate college scout visits, Next Level holds a schedule of Fall Open Gym runs, the details of which can be found by clicking here.
The team’s 2026-27 game schedule and results can be found by clicking here.