Where the money comes from
| TOP 500 rank | 296th among the 500 richest Lithuanians, with €28 million Delfi |
| Club | Described by Delfi in December 2025 as a Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) player, aged 35 Delfi |
| NBA draft | 20th overall pick in 2011, his rights traded to the Houston Rockets Wikipedia |
Donatas Motiejūnas is a Lithuanian basketball big man from Kaunas who spent five seasons in the NBA. A skilled left-handed forward, he was picked 20th overall in the 2011 draft, with his rights going to the Houston Rockets, and after a season in Poland he made his NBA debut in 2012. His best year came in 2014-15, when he became a regular in the Rockets' rotation as they reached the Western Conference finals.
A trade to the Detroit Pistons in 2016 was rescinded after a medical examination, and after a season with the New Orleans Pelicans he moved to China, where he became one of the leading foreign players in the CBA with the Shanghai Sharks, apart from a short spell with the San Antonio Spurs in 2019. The TOP 500 magazine's December 2025 ranking of the richest Lithuanians puts him 296th with about €28 million, about $31 million at the October 26, 2026 exchange rate.
How he made his money
Motiejūnas earned his fortune from NBA contracts in Houston and New Orleans and from several lucrative seasons in China, where foreign stars are among the best-paid players in Asian basketball. He then returned to Europe, and Delfi described him as a player for Crvena Zvezda of Belgrade when it reported the list in December 2025.
The TOP 500 figure is the magazine's estimate of his wealth, with no breakdown. It puts him level with the hockey player Dainius Zubrus, one place below him on the list at No. 297.
About this estimate
The TOP 500 magazine publishes a yearly ranking of the 500 richest people in Lithuania. Its December 2025 edition, reported by Delfi on December 24, 2025, included a group of athletes led by Jonas Valančiūnas and Domantas Sabonis, plus older stars such as Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Šarūnas Marčiulionis and Arvydas Sabonis.
The figures are the magazine's own estimates, rounded to the nearest million euros. We show them as published, with a rough dollar conversion.
Career and money timeline
- 2011
Is drafted 20th overall in the NBA draft; his rights go to the Houston Rockets.
- 2012
Makes his NBA debut for Houston after a season in Poland.
- 2015
Has his best NBA season, averaging about 12 points a game for the Rockets.
- 2016
A trade to the Detroit Pistons is called off after a medical; later joins the New Orleans Pelicans.
- 2017
Moves to China and becomes a star for the Shanghai Sharks.
- 2019
Has a short spell with the San Antonio Spurs.
- 2025
TOP 500 puts his fortune at about €28 million, 296th in Lithuania.
Donatas Motiejūnas net worth FAQ
What is Donatas Motiejūnas's net worth?
The TOP 500 magazine estimated in December 2025 that Donatas Motiejūnas is worth €28 million. That is the most recent published estimate from the TOP 500 magazine that we could find; we do not update it ourselves.
Where do these numbers come from?
The net worth figure is the TOP 500 magazine's own published estimate, linked with its date at the top of the page. Every figure on this page is linked to its source below.
Sources
- Delfi, Paskelbtas turtingiausių lietuvių sąrašas: jame ir sporto elitas (TOP 500 magazine list) (December 24, 2025)
- Vakarų ekspresas, Paskelbtas turtingiausių lietuvių sąrašas: jame yra ir sporto elitas (cross-check) (December 25, 2025)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Donatas Motiejūnas (accessed October 27, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for money figures.
Photo: Zafer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Every number on this page comes from the named source next to it. Totals and percentages are simple sums of those published figures. We never fill in missing years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.