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 19 December 1964) is a famous Lithuanian former professional basketball player and businessman. He is known as one of the best basketball players ever from Europe. Sabonis won the Euroscar award six times and the Mr. Europa Award twice. He played in many different leagues, including the Spanish ACB League, and spent seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Playing as a center, Sabonis won a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics for the Soviet Union. Later, he won bronze medals at the 1992 Olympic Games and 1996 Olympic Games representing Lithuania. He was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft. However, he did not play his first NBA game until 1995, when he was 30 years old. He retired from playing professional basketball in 2005.

Sabonis was honored by being inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2011, Sabonis became the President of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation. His son, Domantas Sabonis, is also a professional basketball player for the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Early Life and Basketball Start

Arvydas Sabonis was born in Kaunas, which was then part of the Soviet Union. 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.

Sabonis did not have to join the Soviet Army. Instead, he went to the Lithuanian University of Agriculture in his hometown.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for Žalgiris

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

Time in Valladolid

In 1989, Sabonis left Žalgiris and joined the Spanish club Fórum Valladolid. During the 1991–92 season, Sabonis helped his team reach the semifinals of the Korać Cup.

Success with Real Madrid

In 1992, after three seasons with Fórum Valladolid, Sabonis moved to another Spanish club, Real Madrid. With Real Madrid, he won two Spanish League titles. He also won a FIBA European League (EuroLeague) title in the 1994–95 season. In that EuroLeague season, he averaged 21.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Joining the Portland Trail Blazers

Sabonis was first picked by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA draft. However, this pick was canceled because he was too young. The next year, he got a serious injury to his Achilles' tendon. Even so, the Portland Trail Blazers chose him with the 24th pick in the 1986 NBA draft.

The Soviet authorities did not allow Sabonis to play in the US at that time. However, he did go to Portland in 1988 to get treatment for his injury with the Blazers' medical team.

After the 1994–95 European season, Sabonis finally joined the NBA. He was 30 years old and had many injuries. The Blazers' general manager, Bob Whitsitt, joked that Sabonis's X-rays showed he could get a handicapped parking spot! Despite this, the Blazers signed him.

Sabonis had a great first season in the NBA. He averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, even though he played less than 24 minutes per game. He was chosen for the All-Rookie First Team. He also finished second for both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.

During his time with the Blazers, the team always made the playoffs. Between 1998 and 2000, the Blazers changed many players to try and win the NBA Championship. Sabonis was one of the few players who stayed in the starting lineup. In 1999 and 2000, the Blazers reached the Western Conference Finals.

Many people wonder how good Sabonis would have been if he had played in the NBA when he was younger and healthier. Even with his injuries, he was an amazing player. He was known for his incredible passing skills, especially for a tall player. Some people said he was like a point guard in a center's body.

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.

While playing for the Blazers, he won the Euroscar award twice. He was also a favorite among the fans in Portland.

Return to Žalgiris

Sabonis went back to Žalgiris for his final season in 2003–04. He helped the team reach 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 National Team

Sabonis, playing for the Soviet Union, against David Robinson and Danny Manning of Team USA at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Soviets won this game.

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

Even though he was advised to rest, Sabonis played in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He led the Soviet Union to a gold medal. They won against the United States national team, which included future NBA stars like David Robinson. This was the last American Olympic team that did not have active NBA players. The Soviet team then beat Yugoslavia in the finals.

With the Soviet national team, Sabonis also won medals at other big tournaments:

• Gold medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship
• Bronze medal at the 1983 EuroBasket
• Gold medal at the 1985 EuroBasket
• Silver medal at the 1986 FIBA World Championship
• Bronze medal at the 1989 EuroBasket

He was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team in 1983 and 1985, and he was the EuroBasket MVP in 1985. Playing so much without rest caused many injuries for Sabonis later in his career.

Lithuanian National Team

After the Soviet Union broke up and Lithuania became independent, Sabonis joined the senior Lithuanian national team. He represented Lithuania at these major tournaments:

• Bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games
• Silver medal at the 1995 EuroBasket
• Bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games
• He also played in the 1999 EuroBasket.

He was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team in 1995. In 2013, he also received a silver medal at the 2013 EuroBasket tournament as the President of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.

Career Statistics

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 a movie actress. They have a daughter named Aušrinė and three sons: Žygimantas, Tautvydas, and Domantas. Domantas was drafted into the NBA in 2016 and is currently a three-time NBA All-Star playing for the Sacramento Kings.

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

According to his son, Domantas, 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 NBA history
• List of European basketball players in the United States