Arvydas Sabonis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arvydas Sabonis

Sabonis with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1996
Personal information
Born	(1964-12-19) 19 December 1964 (age 60) Kaunas, Lithuania
Listed height	7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Listed weight	292 lb (132 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1986 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career	1981–2004
Career history
1981–1989	Žalgiris
1989–1992	Fórum Valladolid
1992–1995	Real Madrid
1995–2001	Portland Trail Blazers
2001–2002	Žalgiris
2002–2003	Portland Trail Blazers
2003–2004	Žalgiris
Career highlights and awards
FIBA Club World Cup champion (1986) FIBA European League champion (1995) 3× USSR League champion (1985–1987) 2× ACB League champion (1993, 1994) LKL champion (2004) Spanish Cup winner (1993) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991) 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008) 6× Euroscar Player of the Year (1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1999) 2× Mr. Europa Player of the Year (1985, 1997) 4× Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year (1984–1986, 1996) EuroBasket MVP (1985) FIBA European League Final Four MVP (1995) EuroLeague Regular Season MVP (2004) EuroLeague Top 16 MVP (2004) All-EuroLeague First Team (2004) 2× Spanish League Finals MVP (1993, 1994) 2× Spanish League MVP (1994, 1995) 2× Spanish All-Star Game MVP (1991, 1992) 2× EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer (1986, 1995) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1996) No. 11 retired by Žalgiris Kaunas FIBA European League Rebounding Leader (1993) EuroLeague Rebounding Leader (2004) EuroLeague Blocking Leader (2004) EuroLeague PIR Leader (2004)
Career NBA statistics
Points	5,629 (12.0 ppg)
Rebounds	3,436 (7.3 rpg)
Assists	964 (2.1 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Olympic Games Representing  Soviet Union Gold 1988 Seoul Team Representing  Lithuania Bronze 1992 Barcelona Team Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team World Cup Representing  Soviet Union Gold Colombia 1982 Silver Spain 1986 EuroBasket Representing  Soviet Union Bronze 1983 France Gold 1985 West Germany Bronze 1989 Yugoslavia Representing  Lithuania Silver 1995 Greece European Championship for Cadets Representing  Soviet Union Gold 1981 Greece Under-18

Arvydas Romas Sabonis (born December 19, 1964) is a famous Lithuanian former professional basketball player and businessman. He was a tall and skilled player who played as a center. Sabonis won many awards, including the Euroscar six times and the Mr. Europa Award twice.

He played in different leagues around the world, like the Spanish ACB League. He also spent seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States. Sabonis won a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics for the Soviet Union. Later, he won bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games representing Lithuania.

Sabonis was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1986 NBA draft. However, he didn't play his first NBA game until 1995, when he was 30 years old. He retired from professional basketball in 2005.

In 2010, Sabonis was added to the FIBA Hall of Fame for his amazing international play. The next year, in 2011, he was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He later became the President of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.

His son, Domantas Sabonis, is also a professional basketball player. He plays for the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Becoming a Basketball Star

Arvydas Sabonis was born in Kaunas, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. He started playing basketball when he was 13 years old. By the time he was 15, he was already playing for the Soviet national junior team.

He was able to avoid joining the Soviet Army by studying at the Lithuanian University of Agriculture.

Playing for Clubs

Starting with Žalgiris

Sabonis began his professional career in 1981 with Žalgiris, a team in his hometown of Kaunas. With Žalgiris, he helped them win three straight Soviet Premier League titles. They also won the 1986 FIBA Club World Cup.

Playing in Spain

In 1989, Sabonis moved to Spain and joined the club Fórum Valladolid. He played there for three seasons. In the 1991–92 season, he helped the team reach the semifinals of the Korać Cup.

After Valladolid, Sabonis joined another Spanish club, Real Madrid, in 1992. With Real Madrid, he won two Spanish League titles. He also helped them win the FIBA European League title in 1995. During his time with Real Madrid, he was a dominant player.

Joining the NBA: Portland Trail Blazers

Sabonis was first picked in the 1985 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. But this pick was canceled because he was too young. The next year, in 1986, the Portland Trail Blazers picked him. However, Soviet rules kept him from playing in the US right away. He also had a serious Achilles tendon injury.

Even with his injuries, the Blazers still wanted him. Their team doctor even joked that Sabonis's X-rays looked like he could get a handicapped parking spot! But they signed him anyway.

When Sabonis finally joined the NBA in 1995, he was 30 years old. Despite his age and past injuries, he had a great first season. He averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He was chosen for the NBA All-Rookie Team. He also finished second for both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year awards.

Many people wonder how good Sabonis would have been if he had played in the NBA when he was younger. By the time he joined the Blazers, he had already won many medals and had several injuries. These injuries made him less mobile and athletic.

Some experts believe that if Sabonis had played in the NBA during his prime, he would have been one of the best centers ever. They say he was an amazing passer for a big man. He was like a "point guard in a center's body." His smart play and court vision were incredible, even as he got older.

After the 2000–2001 NBA season, Sabonis decided to leave the NBA. He said he was "tired mentally and physically." He returned to Europe to rest and recover from his injuries. He came back to the Trail Blazers for one last season in 2002–2003.

He was very popular with fans in Portland. When he visited Portland in 2011, he received a warm welcome.

Back to Žalgiris for the End

Sabonis returned to Žalgiris for his final season in 2003–04. He led the team to the Top 16 stage of the EuroLeague. He was named the Regular Season MVP and the Top 16 MVP that year. He also became the team's president. Sabonis officially retired from playing professional basketball in 2005.

Playing for His Country

Soviet Union National Team

Sabonis, playing for the Soviet Union, against David Robinson and Danny Manning of Team USA at the 1988 Olympics.

In 1982, Sabonis was part of the senior Soviet Union national team. They played against college teams in the United States.

Despite being advised to rest, Sabonis played in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He led the Soviet Union to a gold medal. They beat the United States team in the semifinals. This US team had future NBA stars like David Robinson. The Soviets then won against Yugoslavia in the finals.

With the Soviet national team, Sabonis also won a gold medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship. He won a gold medal at the 1985 EuroBasket and bronze medals in 1983 and 1989. He was named the MVP of the EuroBasket in 1985.

Playing so much without enough rest caused many injuries for Sabonis. His coaches pushed him hard, which led to his first Achilles tendon injury in 1986. Even after surgery in 1988, he was rushed back to play in the Olympics. This overuse affected his health and mobility later in his career.

Lithuanian National Team

After the Soviet Union broke up, Lithuania became independent. Sabonis then joined the Lithuanian national team. He helped Lithuania win bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games. He also won a silver medal at the 1995 EuroBasket.

As the President of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, he was also awarded a silver medal at the 2013 EuroBasket tournament.

Career Statistics

Here are some of Arvydas Sabonis's statistics from his career.

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

EuroLeague

Personal Life

Sabonis is married to Ingrida Mikelionytė, who was the first Miss Lithuania. She is a fashion model and actress. They have a daughter named Aušrinė and three sons: Žygimantas, Tautvydas, and Domantas.

After Sabonis left the NBA, his family moved to Málaga, Spain. His son Domantas was drafted into the NBA in 2016. He is now a three-time NBA All-Star and plays for the Sacramento Kings. His other sons, Žygimantas and Tautvydas, play basketball in Europe. Both Domantas and Tautvydas have played for the Lithuanian national team.

In September 2011, Sabonis had a heart attack while playing basketball in Lithuania. Doctors said it was not life-threatening.

His son Domantas says that Arvydas is a big fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite basketball player is Larry Bird, and his favorite color is green.

See Also

In Spanish: Arvydas Sabonis para niños

• List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
• List of European basketball players in the United States