Arvydas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and coach. He is widely regarded as one of the best European players of all time. Born on December 19, 1964, in Kaunas, Lithuania, Sabonis would develop into an incredibly talented player.
At the age of 15, Arvydas played for the Soviet Union junior national team, and at 17 he began to play for the senior team. In the 1985 European Championships, Sabonis was named the tournament's most valuable player. He would become a five-time Euroscar European Player of the Year and a three-time Mr. Europa Player of the Year.
Throughout his career, Sabonis was a dominant post player. He had a great combination of size and strength, and his passing skills were second to none. He was an all-around player who could score, rebound, and pass. He was also a great defender, and he was able to block shots and alter shots with his long arms.
Sabonis was selected by the Portland Trailblazers with the 24th pick in the 1986 NBA draft, but his career in the United States was delayed by the political situation in the Soviet Union. He didn't make his NBA debut until 1995, at the age of 30. Although he was hampered by injuries, Sabonis still managed to impress, averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during his seven-year NBA career.
Sabonis represented Lithuania in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, and he was the leader of the Lithuanian team that won bronze in the 1997 European Championships. In 2011, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
After retiring in 2005, Sabonis returned to Lithuania and took up coaching. He coached the Lithuanian national team to a bronze medal in the EuroBasket in 2011, and he currently coaches BC Žalgiris in the Lithuanian Basketball League.
Arvydas Sabonis will forever be remembered as one of the best European players of all time. He was a dominant post player with a great combination of size and strength, and his passing skills were second to none. He was an all-around player who could score, rebound, and pass, and he was a great defender. Sabonis is a basketball legend in Lithuania, and his accomplishments will not soon be forgotten.
