Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Romas Sabonis ( listen? / I ) ( born December 19, 1964 in Kaunas) is a Lithuanian basketball player and entrepreneur. At a height of 2.20 m and a body weight of 132 kg, it played in the center position under the basket. He is considered one of the best Lithuanian and European basketball player of all time. Together with Rimas Kurtinaitis and Šarūnas Marciulionis he belongs to the golden generation of Lithuanian basketball player who einheimsten from the early 1980s, first for the Soviet Union and from 1991 for the recovered independent Lithuania numerous successes. 2008 Sabonis was named one of the 50 greatest players in the history of the European League. In August 2011, he was taken further in the Hall of Fame in the NBA.
Youth in the Soviet Union (1981-1989)
His first successes celebrated Sabonis at the age of 16 years in 1981 as Junior European Champion and 1982 as a member of the Soviet world champion team. As a result, he won the Soviet team in 1983 and 1989, bronze at the European Championships and 1985 the gold medal at the European Championships in Germany ( here elected the best player of the tournament ), as well as silver at the World Championships in 1986. With the Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas, where he was employed from 1981 onwards, he was from 1985, three-time Soviet champion.
International career
To change first tests with the onset of perestroika in the NBA, failed in 1985 at the age (minimum 21 years) and 1986 in political squabbles. Sabonis remained in the Soviet Union and won with the Soviet team gold at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. At the Olympic Games in 1992, he led the young Lithuanian team for a sensational winning the bronze medal in 1995 for winning the European vice-champion title at the European Championships in Greece. In Atlanta in 1996 he was able to repeat the success of Barcelona, which he mentions, Lithuanian team won again the bronze medal at the Olympics.
In 1989, he was finally able to move abroad, but did not go to the U.S., but to Spain, where he played three years for Forum Valladolid, from 1992 for Real Madrid. With Madrid, he was Spanish champion twice (1993 and 1994 ) and once winner of the Euro League ( 1995). In the fall of 1995 he moved at age 30 but still in the United States to the Portland Trail Blazers, who had drafted him in 1986. He could also prevail in the NBA, despite his age and repeated violation of breaks and completed in 7 seasons ( break in the season 2001 /2002) over 520 games for the Trail Blazers. He was appointed to the NBA All - Rookie First Team in 1996.
End of career in Lithuania
In 2003 he returned to Lithuania and even played a season at his old club Zalgiris Kaunas, which was also thanks to its class Lithuanian champion and played a prominent Euro League season. At 39, he was elected MVP of the regular season of the Euro League 2003 /2004.
Presence
Sabonis has been an entrepreneur today. He has his own basketball school, was responsible for the construction of several sports centers and sports centers, operates hotels and shops and a trade in real estate. Arvydas Sabonis is the new president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation Lietuvos Krepsinio Federacija ( LKF ). The former NBA pro was the only candidate in the election. He was the successor of Vlada Garastas.
Game characterization
His strengths lay next to his accuracy, especially in the ball gains on the defensive ( defensive rebounds and blocks). During his time in Spain he was three times best rebounder the league and also in his NBA career, he was in many seasons to 10 rebounds per game. His points record stands at 53 points since 1989 ( with Zalgiris Kaunas against Dynamo Moscow), in the NBA there were in 1997 33 points ( in the game against the Dallas Mavericks ). In 1994 and 1995 he was MVP of the Spanish league. Even at age 39 he was in 2003/2004 in the Euro League players with most rebounds (10.3 per game) and most blocks (1.8 per game). Also in the season 2004/2005 he was still in the squad Zalgiris Kaunas of, but could not because of an injury used.
Title and Awards
- Olympic Games: 1988 gold with the USSR, 1992 and 1996 bronze with Lithuania
- World Championships: 1982 gold with the USSR, 1986 silver with the USSR
- European Championships: 1985 gold with the USSR, 1995 silver with Lithuania, 1983 and 1989 bronze with the USSR
- European Club Cup / League Euro 1995 champion with Real Madrid, 1985 and 1986 runner-up with Zalgiris Kaunas
- Lithuanian / Soviet Club Championship: 1985, 1986, 1987 and 2004 champion with Zalgiris Kaunas, 1983, 1984, 1988 and 1989 runner-up with Zalgiris Kaunas
- Spanish Club Championship: 1993 and 1994 champion with Real Madrid
- Other championships: 1981 gold with the Soviet Union at the European Junior Championships, Gold 1985 with the USSR at the Universiade
Awards
- Best Player in Europe: 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1999 ( La Gazzetta dello Sport )
- Best player in the Euro League: 2004 ( first round and Round of 16)
- Most valuable player of the Spanish League: 1994 and 1995
- Best Player of the Tournament: 1985 European Championship
- Best center players: 1981 European Junior Championships
- Three times the best rebounder of the Spanish League
- Inclusion in the FIBA Hall of Fame 2010
- Inclusion in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011
Honors
- Honorary citizen of Kaunas, in September 1997
Others
Sabonis has acquired the majority of Zalgiris Kaunas on his return to Kaunas and is president of this association. He also runs since 1992 a basketball school in Kaunas and has several other shops. Sabonis enjoys high reputation in Lithuania and often rumored about its commitment to the policy.
He is married to the former beauty queen Ingrida Mikelionytė - Sabonienė and has three sons, at least one of which is also a professional basketball player, and a daughter.
On 27 September 2011, he suffered while attending a basketball game a heart attack, but was not in danger.