California Golden Bears men’s basketball forward Rytis Petraitis will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery for an injury sustained earlier in the year. Petraitis, a senior in his second season with Cal, played in the team’s first seven games before being sidelined. He contributed 12 points and seven rebounds during Cal’s upset victory over UCLA on November 25.
Cal head coach Mark Madsen commented on Petraitis’ impact and future prospects: “Rytis brings an unmatched level of energy and effort to every game he plays,” Madsen said. “He is an invaluable teammate on and off the court. He has an incredible work ethic, so we know he will recover and be back even better than before.”
Petraitis, originally from Arlington, Texas, transferred to Cal after two seasons at Air Force. In his junior year with the Golden Bears, he started 29 games, achieved three double-doubles, and scored in double digits 13 times. During his time at Air Force, he posted eight double-doubles and was recognized as the Mountain West Conference’s top-scoring freshman for the 2022-23 season.
Expressing gratitude to supporters and outlining his plans moving forward, Petraitis stated: “I would like to say thank you to the fans, the coaching staff and my teammates for supporting me both on and off the court. This team is so special and I’m so happy to be a part of it,” he said. “Unfortunately due to an injury, I intend to medically redshirt this season. It hurts me to not be out there fighting alongside my teammates, but the goal hasn’t changed. I will be working unbelievably hard to come back better than ever.”
The university continues its promotion of community identity under its “California Through and Through” initiative—a theme emphasizing engagement with its diverse community as well as pride in its basketball program’s legacy.
Tickets for upcoming games can be purchased online at https://calbears.com/tickets or by calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277). Fans are also encouraged to support through initiatives such as Cal Men’s Basketball Excellence Initiative.
For ongoing updates about California men’s basketball activities and coverage, fans can follow official accounts on X (@CalMBBall), Instagram (@CalMBBball), or Facebook (/CalMBBall/).
