Warriors May Sign Soviet Star

Soviet basketball star Sarunas Marchiulenis said today he was discussing a possible contract with Golden State Warriors to become the first Soviet player in the National Basketball Assn.

Marchiulenis, who won a gold medal with the Soviet team in last year’s Olympics, told the government newspaper Izvestia a representative of the Warriors arrived Wednesday in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius to negotiate terms.

Marchiulenis plays for the Lithuanian basketball club Statiba Vilnius where he is a teammate of Arvidas Sabonis, another member of the Soviet Olympic team who has been drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Marchiulenis said the Soviet Lithuanian government approved of his plans to move to the United States and he could begin playing for the Warriors in June.