Arvydas Sabonis (born on 19th December 1964; Age: 59 years old) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player and businessman, known as Domantas Sabonis’s dad.

Domantas Sabonis, following in his father’s footsteps is a famous NBA star who plays for the Sacramento Kings and the Lithuanian national team. Many know him very well but only a few are familiar with his father’s accomplishments in the NBA. Arvydas Sabonis was however a celebrated player in his own right. He played in the NBA for seven years before retiring.

Summary of Arvydas Sabonis’ Bio

  • Full name: Arvydas Sabonis
  • Gender: Male
  • Date of birth: 19th December 1964
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Age: 59 years old
  • Ethnicity: White
  • Nationality: Lithuanian
  • Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Married
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Wife: Ingrida Mikelionytė
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Children: Domantas Sabonis, Tautvydas Sabonis, Aušrinė Sabonis, Žygimantas Sabonis
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Height in Inches: 7 feet, 3 inches
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Height in Centimetres: 221 cm
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Weight: 132 kg (282 lbs)
  • Arvydas Sabonis’s Net worth: $18 million
  • Famous for: Being a former professional basketball player, and Domantas Sabonis’ father

Arvydas Sabonis was Born 59 Years Ago in Lithuania

Domantas’ father, Arvydas Sabonis was born in Kaunas, Lithuanian on the 19th of December 1964 making him 59 years old now. Arvydas has not revealed any details about his parents, siblings if any, or the kind of childhood he had. Similarly, information about his educational background is not publicly known.

He Started Playing Basketball at the Age of 13

Arvydas Sabonis started playing basketball at the age of 13 and by the time he was 15, he had joined the Soviet Union’s junior national team. Arvydas made his professional debut in 1981 with Žalgiris, one of the oldest basketball teams in Lithuania.

He found success playing for the Žalgiris club, winning three consecutive Soviet Premier League titles, and the 1986 FIBA Club World Cup (FIBA Intercontinental Cup). He left the club in 1989 and signed with Fórum Valladolid, a Spanish Liga ACB club. Arvydas helped the club to reach the Kora Cup semifinals in the 1991–92 season.

After three years with Valladolid, he signed with Real Madrid where he would win two Spanish League championships. Arvydas averaged 22.9 points, 2.4 assists, 12.5 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals while playing for Real Madrid in the 1994–95 Spanish League season. In the same year, he also won the FIBA European League.

His Pro Career Lasted 24 Years and He Played for European and NBA Sides

Arvydas Sabonis was technically drafted into the NBA in 1985 as the 77th overall pick selected by the Atlanta Hawks. However, considering that he was still under 21 at that time, the association voided his draft pick. Then in the following year, 1986, he reentered the NBA draft and was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers as the 24th overall pick.

Sadly, he was banned by the Soviet government from playing in the US. Meanwhile, Dale Brown, LSU Tigers head coach had planned for Arvydas to attend and play for Louisiana State University, but he was hampered. Arvydas Sabonis finally made his NBA debut at 30 in 1994 and was 31 years old when he started his rookie season. In the 1995-96 season, he was opportune to play for the Portland Trail Blazers after many years of playing in leagues outside of the United States.

As a rookie, Arvydas Sabonis averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. However, the fact that he started playing in the league in his 30s made him not able to repeat his sterling performances from earlier in his career, making his stats remain almost the same for the next five seasons.

Arvydas Sabonis initially retired from the NBA after the 2001-02 season but decided to come back the following season. But, his coming back obviously did not do him any good as age was no longer at his side; he was already 38 years at that time. 2002/2003 was the last Season that Arvydas Sabonis played in the NBA and he ended up averaging 6.1 points, 1.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. He then returned to his hometown club of Žalgiris for one more season before finally retiring from playing professional basketball in 2005.

Arvydas Sabonis now Runs a Basketball Clinic in his Native Lithuania

Immediately after he left NBA, Arvydas Sabonis alongside his family moved to the Spanish coastal city of Málaga. Despite that, he is still very much involved in the basketball game, actively supporting his son in any possible way he can. Moreso, Arvydas Sabonis currently runs a youth basketball clinic in his hometown Kaunas, Lithuania, and is also a part-owner of the Basketball Club Žalgiris.

Meanwhile, Arvydas Sabonis was on 20th August 2010 inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame for his legendary international career. Also, his incredible basketball career was solidified on 12th August 2011 after he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Arvydas Sabonis was named Basketball Club Žalgiris’ team president and was also named the Top 16 MVP and the regular season MVP.

He is Married to Ingrida and They Have Four Children

Arvydas got married to Domantas’ mother, Ingrida Mikelionytė in 1990. Ingrida Mikelionytė is the first Miss Lithuania, a fashion model, and an actress known for her roles in Neveroyatnyy sluchayy, Miskais ateina ruduo, and Arvydas Sabonis 11.

Their union was blessed with four children; three sons and a daughter – Žygis Sabonis (born 1991), Tautvydas Sabonis (born May 01, 1992), Domantus Sabonis (born May 3, 1996), Aušrinė Sabonis (born June 30, 1997). Sabonis’ youngest child and only daughter, Aušrinė works as the manager of the Pusu Paunksneje Hotel in Lithuania.

Domantus’ two older brothers Žygis and Tautvydas also are basketball players. Tautvydas recently played as a power forward for TAU Castello in Spain – LEB Gold. The Sabonis family has in fact left an indelible mark on basketball and their contributions can never be forgotten.

Arvydas has a Close Relationship with his Son

Domantas Sabonis and Arvydas Sabonis are described as one of the finest and most successful father-son duos in NBA history. Arvydas is indeed a proud father of his son as his legacy is carried on by him. Regardless, Arvydas did not have a close relationship with Domantas until he was older. He was significantly absent in his son’s life throughout his childhood days as he was hooping in Europe.

Domantas spent his early life with his mother in America. However, the father and son are doing their best to build and maintain a smooth and close relationship. Meanwhile, Domantas Sabonis is presently making a name for himself in the NBA. He was selected by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 draft and plays as a strong defender. Although he has a different style from his father, he shares many of his talents. It is evident that the 27-year-old has a bright career ahead of him.

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