A strong night on the court quickly turned into a very different kind of headline for one Žalgiris Kaunas guard. He had just helped his team pick up a comfortable domestic league win when an off-court incident put him under scrutiny.

The player is Carsen Edwards, the former Boston Celtics guard who joined Žalgiris this summer on a 1+1 contract. He has also made a strong start to the season, averaging 16.0 points per game through three EuroLeague games.

But the situation moved quickly on Monday. Police confirmed that a Žalgiris player was stopped while driving in Kaunas with a reported blood alcohol level of 1.07‰, with multiple reports identifying the player as Edwards. The club later confirmed that it had investigated the incident and fined him. Ramūnas Matonis, head of the Communication Division of the Lithuanian Police Department, said: “Tonight at 00:30 in Kaunas, Birštono St., during a preventive raid, a VW Tiguan driven by an intoxicated Žalgiris player was stopped. He was found to have 1.07‰ intoxication.” Žalgiris later said: “We are aware of the information that has emerged publicly and are currently looking into the circumstances both within the club and with all parties involved. Once the situation has been fully assessed, we will provide a separate update on any decisions or further steps. Until then, we will not comment further on the matter.”

The incident took place at around 12:30 a.m. on Birštono Street in Kaunas during a preventive police raid. The reported 1.07‰ level is above Lithuania’s standard 0.4‰ limit for private drivers with more than two years of driving experience. Under Lithuanian law, 0.41–1.5‰ falls within the administrative offense range, with possible fines and a driving-license withdrawal.

Police confirmed that Edwards was stopped, but there is no credible evidence that he was formally arrested in the criminal sense. No reports have confirmed an accident, injury, property damage, passengers, criminal charges or detention beyond the roadside stop and alcohol measurement.

Žalgiris later confirmed that it had assessed the circumstances, applied its team rules and imposed a financial fine, although the amount was not disclosed. The club also said Edwards admitted his mistake, expressed sincere regret and accepted responsibility.

The punishment comes after Edwards had played a productive game for Žalgiris against Lietkabelis on Sunday. Žalgiris won 97-68, with Edwards finishing with 11 points and six assists in 17 minutes. He went 1-for-1 from two-point range and 3-for-3 from three, finishing with a PIR of 15.

Edwards has been an important part of Žalgiris’ early-season rotation. He is averaging 16.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 rebound in about 23 minutes per game through three EuroLeague appearances, with a PIR of 10.3. He is also shooting 36.8% from three-point range.

Edwards arrived in Kaunas after averaging around 17.3 points and 2.3 assists for Virtus Bologna in the previous EuroLeague season. His 1+1 deal with Žalgiris can keep him with the club through the 2027-28 season, with the second year structured as a club option.

For now, the club has imposed its internal punishment, while the legal process remains separate. There is no confirmed suspension, roster removal or decision on Edwards’ availability for Žalgiris’ EuroLeague game against Barcelona on October 9. There is also no confirmed public decision on any driving-license consequences in his specific case.

The immediate situation is therefore clear: police stopped Edwards with a reported 1.07‰ blood alcohol level, Žalgiris investigated the incident and fined him, and Edwards accepted responsibility. What remains unclear is whether there will be any further legal consequences or whether the incident will affect his availability for the team’s next EuroLeague game.