Arvydas Sabonis

Born in Kaunas, in then Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union, Sabonis began playing basketball at age 13. By the time he was 15 years old, he was a member of the Soviet national junior team.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/arvydas_sabonis/bio.html|title=Arvydas Sabonis Bio|work=NBA.com|access-date=27 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617063005/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/arvydas_sabonis/bio.html|archive-date=17 June 2009|url-status=dead}}

Sabonis was excused from mandatory service to the Soviet Army, by enrolling at the Lithuanian University of Agriculture, in his hometown.{{cite web|url=http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/JSH/JSH1990/JSH1701/jsh1701e.pdf|title=Perestroika and Lithuanian Basketball|website=la84.org}}

Sabonis made his professional club debut in 1981, with one of the oldest basketball teams in Lithuania, Žalgiris, in his hometown of Kaunas. With the club, he won three consecutive Soviet Premier League titles, and the 1986 FIBA Club World Cup (FIBA Intercontinental Cup).

In 1989, Sabonis left Žalgiris, and signed with the Spanish Liga ACB club Fórum Valladolid.{{cite web |title=Blazers Lose Sabonis to Spain Again |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-06-05-sp-835-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=4 June 1990}} During the 1991–92 season, Sabonis helped the team to reach the semifinals at the Korać Cup.

In 1992, after playing with Fórum Valladolid for three seasons, Sabonis joined the Spanish club Real Madrid, and with them, he won two Spanish League titles, and a FIBA European League (EuroLeague) title, in 1994–95.{{cite web|title=Prisiminimai apie A. Sabonio fenomeną ispaną privertė atsiprašyti P. Gasolio|url=http://www.delfi.lt/krepsinis/herojai/prisiminimai-apie-a-sabonio-fenomena-ispana-priverte-atsiprasyti-p-gasolio.d?id=74504396|website=Krepsinis.lt|access-date=28 April 2017}} With Real Madrid, during the 1994–95 Spanish League season, he averaged 22.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.3 blocked shots, in 42 games played.[http://www.acb.com/jugador/temporada-a-temporada/id/20200678/tipo_id/1/competicion_id/1/fase_id/0#cuerpo ARVYDAS SABONISDorsal:Posición: PívotAltura: 2,22 m {{in lang|es}}.] While in the 1994–95 FIBA European League season, he averaged 21.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, in 17 games played.[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.roundID_2566.season_1995.teamID_1020.playerID_7324.html ARVYDAS SABONIS REAL MADRID TEKA AVERAGE.]

Sabonis was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 77th overall pick of the 1985 NBA draft. However, the selection was voided because Sabonis was under 21 at the time of the draft. The following spring, he suffered a devastating Achilles' tendon injury. Nevertheless, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers, with the 24th overall pick of the 1986 NBA draft. As of 2024, Sabonis would be the last player to be selected in multiple NBA drafts, since the process of players entering multiple draft years would be abolished after the 1980s.{{cite book|last=Bradley|first=Robert D.|title=The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts|year=2013|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810890695}}, pg. 454 Sabonis was not allowed to play in the US by the Soviet authorities, despite LSU Tigers head coach Dale Brown's plans to have Sabonis studying and playing at Louisiana State University, thus keeping him in an amateur status. However, he did go to Portland, to rehabilitate his injury with the Blazers medical staff, in 1988, while also practicing with the team.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/longform/sabonis/|title=The Old College Try: The complicated recruiting sagas of Arvydas Sabonis and his son Domantas|website=Sports Illustrated Longform}}

After the 1994–95 European season, Sabonis and Portland contacted one another about a move to the NBA. Before signing Sabonis, Portland's then-general manager, Bob Whitsitt, asked the Blazers team physician to look at Sabonis' X-rays. Illustrating the impact of Sabonis' numerous injuries, Whitsitt recalled in a 2011 interview, that when the doctor reported the results, "He said that Arvydas could qualify for a handicapped parking spot, based on the X-ray alone."{{cite web|url=http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6867508/arvydas-sabonis-long-strange-trip |title=Arvydas Sabonis' Long, Strange Trip |first=Jonathan |last=Abrams |work=Grantland,com |date=16 August 2011 |access-date=28 November 2011}} Nevertheless, the Blazers signed Sabonis. He had a successful rookie campaign, averaging 14.5 points, on 55% shooting, and 8.1 rebounds per game while playing less than 24 minutes per game. Sabonis was selected to the All-Rookie First Team and was runner-up in both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year voting. His postseason averages went up to 23.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In the first playoff series of his NBA career, Portland lost to Utah in five games. Sabonis averaged 16.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in 1997–98, all career-highs.

During Sabonis's first stint in Portland, the Blazers always made the playoffs (part of a 21-year streak); between 1998 and 1999, the Oregon franchise changed large parts of its roster in order to compete for the NBA Championship (after six consecutive first round losses) with center Sabonis the only player remaining in the starting five. Kenny Anderson and Isaiah Rider were traded for Damon Stoudamire and Steve Smith. In both those years, the Blazers reached the Western Conference Finals. In 1999, they were swept by the eventual champions, the San Antonio Spurs, while, the next year, the team (starting Sabonis, Smith, Stoudamire, Rasheed Wallace, and recently added Scottie Pippen) lost to the Los Angeles Lakers (at the beginning of the team's three-peat), in seven games.

The question that frequently surrounds Sabonis's NBA career revolves around how good he could have been had he played in the NBA during his prime.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?page=Euro-Sabonis|first=Ian|last=Whittell|date=2 May 2008|access-date=27 February 2010|title=Best of the Euroleague and NBA: Arvydas Sabonis|work=ESPN.com}}{{cite web|title=Blazers Top 40: No. 20 Arvydas Sabonis|first=Jason|last=Quick|publisher=OregonLive.com|date=27 February 2010|access-date=27 February 2010|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/02/blazers_top_40_no_20_arvydas_s.html}} Sabonis was already 30 when he joined the Blazers, by which time he had already won multiple gold medals, suffered through numerous injuries, and had lost much of his mobility and athleticism. In Bill Simmons's "Book of Basketball", Sabonis the international player is idealized, while Sabonis the Blazer is described as "lumbering up and down the court in what looked to be concrete Nikes" and ranking "just behind Artis Gilmore on the Moving Like a Mummy Scale."{{cite web|url=http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/11/17/1157838/the-bill-simmons-typo-that|title=The Bill Simmons Typo That Insulted an Entire City|website=blazersedge.com|date=17 November 2009}} In ESPN's David Thorpe's view, Sabonis would be the best passing big man in NBA history, and possibly a top-four center overall, had he played his entire career there.{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/25422/25422|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220192720/http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/25422/25422|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 February 2010|title=Chat with David Thorpe|website=go.com}} In Clyde Drexler's view, if Sabonis had been able to spend his prime in Portland, next to the plethora of other Trail Blazers' All-Stars (Drexler, Terry Porter, Buck Williams, Steve Johnson, Kevin Duckworth, and Clifford Robinson),[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/all_star.html Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Game Selections] the Trail Blazers would "have had four, five or six titles. Guaranteed. He was that good. He could pass, shoot three pointers, had a great post game, and dominated the paint."{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/24592|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412052815/http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/24592|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 April 2010|title=Chat with Clyde Drexler|website=go.com}} Despite his height and weight, he was "a magician in the post who played the game with a style I've never seen from a big man. He was a point guard in a center's body. And, just to be fair to Arvydas, he was better than most point guards are at distributing the ball." His age and injuries made him appear as a "big guy who looked like he couldn't make it up the court, but the same guy who made the defense look foolish with a pass that whizzed by their ear. It just goes to show you how smarts and court savvy will always age better than a guy with no brains and all athletic ability".{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/special_features/Portland_will_miss_Arvydas_Sab-84264-41.html|title=Portland Will Miss Arvydas Sabonis|first=Erik|last=Lyslo|website=NBA.com|access-date=27 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100629104800/http://www.nba.com/blazers/special_features/Portland_will_miss_Arvydas_Sab-84264-41.html|archive-date=29 June 2010|url-status=dead}}

On 6 April 2001, Sabonis scored a season-high 32 points while making 11 of 12 field goal attempts during a 122–91 win over the Golden State Warriors.[https://www.espn.com/nba/2001/20010406/recap/porgsw.html Kemp distraction aside, Blazers storm Warriors] After the 2000–2001 NBA season, Sabonis refused to sign an extension with the Trail Blazers and retired from the NBA. In his own words, he "was tired mentally and physically." Instead, he returned to Europe, where he signed a one-year deal, at a nominal salary, with Žalgiris Kaunas, expecting to join the team for the most important games of the season down the stretch. However, he ended up missing that season in its entirety, resting and recovering from injuries. Sabonis rejoined the Trail Blazers for one final season, in 2002–2003.{{cite journal|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23218439.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105194559/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23218439.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2012|title=BOREDOM BRINGS SABONIS BACK TO BLAZERS|date=1 October 2002|website=highbeam.com}}

He won the Euroscar twice while playing with the Blazers. He also became a fan favorite, and had a warm welcome back when he visited Portland in 2011, en route to being enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/sabonis/_summer_day_with_sabonis_2011_08_18.html|title=A Summer Day With Sabonis|website=nba.com|access-date=30 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009093638/http://www.nba.com/blazers/sabonis/_summer_day_with_sabonis_2011_08_18.html|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=dead}}

Sabonis went back to Žalgiris to play his final season, in 2003–04. He led the team to the Top 16 stage of the EuroLeague that year, and was named the Regular Season MVP and the Top 16 MVP. He also became the team's president.{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/history/50-years/the-archive/i/26224/1609/item|title=50 Greatest contributors list: Arvydas Sabonis|access-date=27 February 2010|publisher=euroleague.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127141633/http://www.euroleague.net/history/50-years/the-archive/i/26224/1609/item|archive-date=27 January 2010|url-status=dead}} Sabonis would officially retire from playing professional basketball, in 2005.

Image:Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics - URS vs. USA.JPEG, taking on David Robinson and Danny Manning, during the semifinal clash with Team USA, at the 1988 Olympics. The Soviets scored an 82–76 win, with Sabonis contributing 13 points and 13 rebounds.]]

In 1982, Sabonis was one of the players in the senior Soviet Union national team that toured the United States, playing against various college basketball teams.

Despite being recommended to rest, instead of playing in the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Soviets allowed Sabonis to remain a part of their national team. Sabonis led the Soviet Union to a gold medal, with a win against the 1988 edition of the United States national team, that featured future NBA All-Stars David Robinson, Mitch Richmond, and Danny Manning in the semifinals. This was the last American Olympic team that was not composed of active NBA players. The team later beat Yugoslavia in the finals.

In his career with the senior Soviet national team, Sabonis also played at the following major tournaments: the 1982 FIBA World Championship (gold medal), the 1983 EuroBasket (bronze medal), the 1985 EuroBasket (gold medal), the 1986 FIBA World Championship (silver medal), and the 1989 EuroBasket (bronze medal).{{cite web|url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/arvydas%20sabonis/pid//_//players.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710051320/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp/q/Arvydas%20Sabonis/pid/_/players.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 July 2012|title=Arvydas-Romas SABONIS.|website=fiba.com}} He was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team in 1983 and 1985, and he was named the EuroBasket MVP in 1985.

The 1985–1988 stretch of a heavy playing schedule, and lack of rest, took a significant toll on Sabonis's future health and durability. Various leg injuries were not given much time to heal, due to the Cold War climate that surrounded international competition, as well as the intense rivalry of the Žalgiris Kaunas versus CSKA Moscow games in the USSR Premier League. In a 2011 interview, Sabonis expressed an opinion, that overuse by the coaches of the Soviet national program, was a major contributing factor to his first Achilles' tendon injury, back in 1986.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121104182811/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1189174/1/index.htm Lithuania Calling] Also {{cite magazine |last=Winn |first=Luke |date=15 August 2011 |title=Lithuania Calling |magazine=Sports Illustrated |volume=115 |issue=6 |pages=52–56}} Another key moment for his future health, took place in 1988, when Sabonis had a surgical Achilles procedure performed in Portland, but was rushed back on the floor with the USSR Olympic team, before a full recovery. The decision to include a limping Sabonis, on the USSR roster for the 1988 Olympic Games, was protested at the time by the Portland medical staff, and was later heavily criticized.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/30/sports/sabonis-is-named-to-soviet-team.html?pagewanted=2|title=Sabonis Is Named To Soviet Team|first=Esther B. Fein and Special To the New York|last=Times|newspaper=The New York Times|date=30 August 1988}} While the Soviets cleared him to play professionally in 1989, when his Soviet national teammate, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, went to North America, Sabonis postponed his travel, over feeling that he was not physically ready for the NBA. Eventually, Sabonis would develop chronic knee, ankle and groin issues, that substantially limited his mobility and explosiveness, by the mid-1990s.

After breakup of the Soviet Union, and the independence of Lithuania, Sabonis then became a member of the senior Lithuanian national team. He represented Lithuania at the following major tournaments: the 1992 Summer Olympic Games (bronze medal), the 1995 EuroBasket (silver medal), the 1996 Summer Olympic Games (bronze medal), and the 1999 EuroBasket. He was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team in 1995.

Sabonis was also awarded a silver medal at the 2013 EuroBasket tournament, due to being the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) President.[http://www.15min.lt/images/photos/616246/big/eurobasket-2013-cempionato-apdovanojimu-ceremonija-523f737940486.jpg Arvydas Sabonis (second from left) with Silver medal] (photo)

{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sabonar01.html|title=Arvydas Sabonis Stats - Basketball-Reference.com|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1995}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 73 || 21 || 23.8 || .545 || .375 || .757 || 8.1 || 1.8 || .9 || 1.1 || 14.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1996}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 69 || 68 || 25.5 || .498 || .371 || .777 || 7.9 || 2.1 || .9 || 1.2 || 13.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1997}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 73 || 73 || 32.0 || .493 || .261 || .798 || 10.0 || 3.0 || .9 || 1.1 || 16.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1998}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| style="background:#cfecec;"| 50* || 48 || 27.0 || .485 || .292 || .771 || 7.9 || 2.4 || .7 || 1.3 || 12.1

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1999|trunc=y}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 66 || 61 || 25.6 || .505 || .368 || .843 || 7.8 || 1.8 || .7 || 1.2 || 11.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2000}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 61 || 42 || 21.3 || .479 || .067 || .776 || 5.4 || 1.5 || .7 || 1.0 || 10.1

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2002}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 78 || 1 || 15.5 || .476 || .500 || .787 || 4.3 || 1.8 || .8 || .6 || 6.1

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 470 || 314 || 24.2 || .500 || .328 || .786 || 7.3 || 2.1 || .8 || 1.1 || 12.0

{{s-end}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1996

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 5 || 5 || 35.4 || .432 || .556 || .717 || 10.2 || 1.8 || .8 || .6 || 23.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1997

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 4 || 4 || 27.0 || .429 || .250 || .875 || 6.5 || 2.3 || .8 || .8 || 11.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1998

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 4 || 4 || 26.8 || .450 || .500 || .857 || 7.8 || 1.5 || 1.8 || .8 || 12.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1999

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 13 || 13 || 30.2 || .398 || .200 || .907 || 8.8 || 2.2 || 1.2 || 1.2 || 10.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2000

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 16 || 16 || 30.8 || .453 || .286 || .796 || 6.7 || 1.9 || .9 || .8 || 11.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2001

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 3 || 3 || 34.7 || .483 || .000 || .750 || 8.3 || 2.7 || .3 || 2.3 || 11.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2003

| style="text-align:left;"|Portland

| 6 || 1 || 14.3 || .667 || {{sort|-|—}} || .800 || 4.0 || .8 || .7 || .7 || 10.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 51 || 46 || 28.8 || .452 || .319 || .802 || 7.4 || 1.9 || .9 || .9 || 12.1

{{s-end}}

{{Euroleague player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y}}

{{Euroleague player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1985–86

| style="text-align:left;"|Žalgiris

| 13 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 24.5 || {{sort|-|—}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1986–87

| style="text-align:left;"|Žalgiris

| 6 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 21.3 || {{sort|-|—}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1992–93[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.roundID_2564.season_1993.teamID_1020.playerID_7324.html ARVYDAS SABONIS REAL MADRID PPG 16.5 RPG 12.0 APG 1.9]

| style="text-align:left;"|Real Madrid

| 20 || {{sort|-|—}} || 30.9 || .543 || .500 || .663 || style="background:#cfecec;"|12.0* || 1.9 || 1.2 || {{sort|-|—}} || 16.5 || {{sort|-|—}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|1993–94[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.season_1994.roundID_2565.playerID_7324.teamID_1020.html ARVYDAS SABONIS REAL MADRID PPG 17.4 RPG 11.9 APG 2.9]

| style="text-align:left;"|Real Madrid

| 15 || {{sort|-|—}} || 34.3 || .577 || .350 || .723 || 11.9 || 2.9 || 1.0 || {{sort|-|—}} || 17.4 || {{sort|-|—}}

|-

| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|1994–95†[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.season_1995.roundID_2566.playerID_7324.teamID_1020.html ARVYDAS SABONIS REAL MADRID PPG 21.8 RPG 11.2 APG 2.6]

| style="text-align:left;"|Real Madrid

| 17 || {{sort|-|—}} || 33.8 || .572 || .545 || .783 || 11.2 || 2.6 || 1.8 || {{sort|-|—}} || 21.8 || {{sort|-|—}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2003–04

| style="text-align:left;"|Žalgiris

| 18 || 14 || 28.3 || .560 || .366 || .696 || style="background:#cfecec;"|10.7* || 2.4 || 1.0 || style="background:#cfecec;"|1.6* || 16.7 || style="background:#cfecec;"|26.3*

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 89 || {{sort|-|—}} || 31.6 || .562 || .439 || .716 || 11.4 || 2.4 || 1.3 || 1.6 || 19.2 || {{sort|-|—}}

{{s-end}}

Sabonis is married to Ingrida Mikelionytė, the first Miss Lithuania, a fashion model, and a movie actress. They have a daughter named Aušrinė, and three sons: Žygimantas, Tautvydas, and Domantas – the last two being born in the cities their father was playing, Valladolid and Portland. Once Sabonis left the NBA, the family moved to the Spanish coastal city of Málaga. Domantas was drafted 11th overall in the 2016 NBA draft and is currently a three-time NBA All-Star,{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25545148/gonzagas-domantas-sabonis-son-of-hall-of-famer-is-ready-for-nba-draft |title=Gonzaga's Domantas Sabonis, son of Hall of Famer, is ready for NBA Draft |first=Sam |last=Vecenie |work=CBSSports.com |date=8 April 2016 |access-date=14 April 2016}} and currently plays for the Sacramento Kings. Žygimantas,{{Cite web |url=http://kiaenzona.com/mas-basket/el-otro-sabonis-mira-donde-juega-el-mayor-de-los-hijos-del-mitico-zar-18381/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 August 2016 |archive-date=11 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711183157/http://kiaenzona.com/mas-basket/el-otro-sabonis-mira-donde-juega-el-mayor-de-los-hijos-del-mitico-zar-18381/ |url-status=dead }} and Tautvydas decided to continue their careers in Europe. Both Domantas and Tautvydas played for the Lithuania national team in different levels of competition.

In September 2011, Sabonis suffered a heart attack, while playing basketball in Lithuania. Doctors said that the heart attack was not life-threatening.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/former-nba-star-sabonis-stable-after-heart-attack-1.3207143|title=Former NBA star Sabonis stable after heart attack|website=newsday.com}}

According to his son, Domantas, Arvydas is a huge fan of the Boston Celtics, his favorite basketball player is Larry Bird and his favorite color is green.{{cite web|title="Celtics" peržiūroje dalyvavęs D.Sabonis atskleidė įdomų faktą apie savo tėvą ir žaidimo elementą, kurį nori patobulinti labiausiai|url=http://www.krepsinis.net/naujiena/celtics-perziuroje-dalyvaves-d-sabonis-atskleide-idomu-fakta-apie-savo-teva-ir-zaidimo-elementa-kuri-nori-patobulinti-labiausiai/263145|website=Krepsinis.net|access-date=9 June 2016}}

He appeared on the Lithuanian cover of the video game NBA Live 2001.

Arvydas Sabonis's basketball career and journey to represent his native country Lithuania in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics is highlighted in the documentary film The Other Dream Team. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 and was distributed by Lionsgate in the U.S. and Disney internationally.

• List of tallest players in NBA history
• List of European basketball players in the United States

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commons category|Arvydas Sabonis}}

• {{basketball stats|nba=717|bbr=s/sabonar01}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150329075639/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/q/arvydas%20sabonis/pid/_/players.html FIBA Archive Profile]
• [http://www.interbasket.net/players/sabonis.htm InterBasket Profile]
• [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?seasoncode=E2003+++++&pcode=AYO Euroleague.net Profile]
• [http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_1999.roundID_2267.playerID_7324.teamID_2135.html FIBAEurope.com Profile]
• [http://www.acb.com/jugador/temporada-a-temporada/id/20200678/fase_id/0/competicion_id/1/tipo_id/1#cuerpo Spanish ACB Profile] {{in lang|es}}

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{{Soviet Union Squad 1982 FIBA World Championship}}

{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1983}}

{{Soviet Union Men Basketball Squad 1984 Friendship Games}}

{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1985}}

{{Soviet Union Squad 1986 FIBA World Championship}}

{{Footer 1988 Olympic Champions Basketball Men}}

{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1989}}

{{Footer 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalists Basketball Men}}

{{Lithuania Squad EuroBasket 1995}}

{{Footer 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalists Basketball Men}}

{{EuroBasket MVP Award}}

{{1986 NBA draft}}

{{Euroleague Finals Top Scorer}}

{{Euroleague Final Four MVP Award}}

{{FIBA50}}

{{Euroleague50}}

{{Real Madrid Baloncesto 1994–95 Euroleague champions}}

{{ACB MVP Award}}

{{ACB Finals MVP Award}}

{{Euroleague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP}}

{{Euroscar}}

{{Mr. Europa}}

{{Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year}}

{{FIBA Hall of Fame}}

{{Basketball Hall of Fame}}

{{2011 Basketball HOF}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sabonis, Arvydas}}

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:1982 FIBA World Championship players

Category:1986 FIBA World Championship players

Category:Atlanta Hawks draft picks

Category:Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Category:Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics

Category:Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Basketball players from Kaunas

Category:Basketball players with retired numbers

Category:BC Žalgiris players

Category:Businesspeople from Kaunas

Category:CB Valladolid players

Category:Centers (basketball)

Category:Commander's Crosses of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas

Category:Euroscar award winners

Category:FIBA EuroBasket–winning players

Category:FIBA Hall of Fame inductees

Category:FIBA World Championship–winning players

Category:Goodwill Games medalists in basketball

Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas

Category:Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR

Category:Liga ACB players

Category:Lithuanian expatriate basketball people in the United States

Category:Lithuanian expatriate basketball people in Spain

Category:Lithuanian men's basketball players

Category:Lithuanian Sportsperson of the Year winners

Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees

Category:NBA players from Lithuania

Category:Olympic basketball players for Lithuania

Category:Olympic basketball players for the Soviet Union

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Lithuania

Category:Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union

Category:Olympic medalists in basketball

Category:Portland Trail Blazers draft picks

Category:Portland Trail Blazers players

Category:Real Madrid Baloncesto players

Category:Recipients of the Olympic Order

Category:Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples

Category:Recipients of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas

Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour

Category:Recipients of the Presidential Order of Excellence

Category:Soviet expatriate sportspeople in Spain

Category:Soviet men's basketball players

Category:Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy alumni