"He bailed me out": Weaver lauds Velička after record debut

Arnas Velička joined the Brisbane Bullets with an impressive reputation, and the Lithuanian star delivered a spectacular, historic NBL debut with 23 points, 14 assists and five three-pointers to lead a come-from-behind win.

Aside from going 4/10 at the foul line, including two late misses that kept the door ajar for the New Zealand Breakers to force overtime on Tuesday night, it was a dream start for the new recruit.

He added five rebounds and shot 5/9 from beyond the arc in 35 minutes, all in front of a sold-out Pat Rafter Arena crowd.

"I was really happy with the win and at the end I missed some free throws so I was really pissed, but Max (Mackinnon) made some and we got a stop and that's all that matters," Velička said.

"I'm really happy for the fans and the whole organisation for this win. I think we started kinda slow and I wouldn't say scared, but wasn't that confident and I felt like everybody was not quite certain with what we were doing.

"But as the game goes on, we all got a lot more comfortable with how we were attacking and what we were trying to get from our offence, and I saw many opportunities for me to get to my strengths.

"I just felt the crowd helped us a lot and our stamina too meant that we got better as the time went. I would say that we need to start the next game with the same mentality and know that we're a good team and are going to be good."

The 26-year-old is fresh off an MVP-winning season with Neptūnas back in Lithuania, so there were high hopes for what he could do in the NBL with the Bullets.

In the process, Velička became the first player in NBL history to have 14 assists and five made three-pointers in one game.

His 14 assists are also the most by any player on NBL debut. Coach Will Weaver signed him for a reason, and one game in, it looks like he might have struck gold.

"I feel lucky to coach him and there were multiple times in tonight's game where I had a bad idea and he bailed me out with a good idea and good execution," Weaver said.

"So we're still building our chemistry and his teammates are still realising that 'oh man, I better get my hands up because he's gonna find you'.

"He's a complete player, and more importantly to me he's an incredible teammate and competitor.

"He might be from a long way away, but I don't know anybody that embodies the Queensland spirit more than this guy."