Article about Sabonis on German nba Page: translation is from Google
http://m.spox.com/de/sport/ussport/...s-portland-trail-blazers-litauen-olympia.html
NBA Legend series: Arvydas Sabonis - Victim, Mystery, Revolucer
19.12.2018 13:39
Lithuania has always been considered a great basketball nation. The big Soviet teams had mainly players from the Balten state in their squad. From the golden generation of the Baltic even today a name stands out: Arvydas Sabonis. In the 80s he dominated all of Europe, the Cold War kept him prisoner beyond the Iron Curtain. Nonetheless, the versatile center is a pioneer in a new genre in NBA history. Sabonis is 54 years old today.
"Always a bit strange, you never looked cool - a Lithuanian I wanted to be a friend, but unfortunately you came a bit too late - fed like a real big man, right? Arvydas Sabonis! Arvydas Sabonis! 15 points per game, a model for a woman - you laughed last, had a pretty good life, right? Arvydas Sabonis! Come back, we miss you! "
Not too many basketball icons can boast a song that bears its own name. Arvidas Sabonis - that's the title of Margot and the Nucelar So and So's. It is a Lithuanian hymn, a homage to the unforgotten hero of the country.
Presumably, the Indianapolis band's song is limited to the minimalist idiom of emotion because it would not be possible to sing of Sabas' unparalleled abilities and achievements in 3 minutes and 23 seconds. And then you would not have heard a word about his strange, sad and unique way to the NBA.
"I'm no longer a locomotive, just a small baggage car. "Arvydas Sabonis, 1995. Understatement Just do not steal too high expectations, and the center was a big one in Europe when it was launched in Portland, or rather, the biggest.
First Kaunas, then the whole world:
Sabonis was so talented that at the age of 17 he was appointed to the professional team of Zalgiris Kaunas in his hometown. At this time he played basketball for only 48 months. Two years later, the whole world knew him.
At EuroBasket in 1983, he led the USSR bronze medal and impressed players, coaches and experts. Bill Walton, TV analyst at the time, came back frantically from France: "He was 19 years old and played like a 2.21-meter-tall Larry Bird," said Walton: "He ran like the wind, hit threes, dribbled like magic Johnson picked up rebounds like Wilt Chamberlain and blocked off throws like Bill Russell, who had probably already had a quadruple double at half-time in one game, leaving our mouths open and dreaming of kidnapping this Communist prisoner"
No escape:
That was the big problem. The political climate of the Cold War Sabonis built the way into the NBA. The Soviet Union banned all its basketball players from playing in the United States. Point, off, end of discussion.
With the change of power to Mikhail Gorbachev, the NBA franchises began to hope for the top prize from overseas. The Draft 1985, the Atlanta Hawks dared and pulled Sabas with the 77th pick in the fourth round.
And again there was a problem: The center was not yet 21 years old at that time, so the pick was invalid according to NBA regulations. In 1986, the Trail Blazers attacked. In position 24, they chose Sabonis - who learned this news, however, only some time later from a basketball magazine.
The triumphal procession begins:
The Iron Curtain was not to fall until 1989, so Sabonis had no choice but to continue his triumphant advance in Europe. With Kaunas he brought three USSR titles in series, was heaped with awards. On the gold medal with the Soviet team and the election for MVP at the European Championships in 1985 in Germany was followed by silver '86 in Spain and a place in the All Tounament team.
His masterpiece delivered Sabas at the 1988 Olympics. He dominated the tournament on the boards and won in the semifinals with his team against the favored USA, which were starred with stars such as David Robinson and Mitch Richmond high profile.
In a roundabout way:
In contrast to Drazen Petrovic, Vlade Divac or compatriot Sarunas Marciulionis Sabonis made after the opening of the border even a stopover in Spain, before he took the plunge across the pond.
His certificate in excerpts: two ACB titles, MVP 94/95, Euroleague triumph and Final Four MVP '95 and the fourth award for Europe's basketball player of the year. His last season on the Iberian Peninsula has not only gone down in history with Real Madrid: 22.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals. In 34 minutes !!
"That's it for me," Sabonis said after the season, "I do not have to prove anything to Europe and the basketball world, the only thing left is the NBA." Finally, nine years after being drafted, it was time for the US. "Portland had called and asked if I wanted to come over," Sabas said years later, "and I knew that if I did not go now, I would never go again."
war wounds:
And again Sabas accompanied a problem. The violent international schedule of the Soviet Union, which wanted to gain reputation in the Cold War, among other things about their sporting achievements, had left its mark.
Even before the draft in 1986, he suffered a Achilles tendon rupture, 1988, the tendon had to be operated on a second time. But Olympia was on and Sabonis was simply not missing. Contrary to the advice of the Portland doctors, who cared for him during his injury, Sabonis was injected at the insistence of the Soviet Union and flew to South Korea. It came, what had to come: Gradually developed Sabas chronic ankle, knee and calf problems - then came even arthritis in the foot. His body was a wreck before arriving in Portland.
When Blazers doctor Don Roberts got to see the medical records of the 31-year-old, he called immediately GM Bob Whitsitt: "Only Sabonis' x-rays would be sufficient to apply for a disabled parking space," said concerned Doc: "His foot looks like this Nasty, it may be that he can not walk, let alone play basketball. " But Whitsitt just replied, "Oh, he can play." Because that was Sabas.
"Every day he played with pain, "said former athletic trainer Jay Jensen:" Except that they varied from day to day. But he's a fighter, an incredible biter. "And the man knows what he's talking about: Just before the crucial Game 3 of the 2000 Western Conference Semifinals, Sabonis broke her ankle and hobbled into the cabin." Suddenly, it cloned, he did grunted once and then he got up and went on the field ", Jensen describes the incredible scene.
Every other player would have expected a weeks break. Not Sabas. As if nothing had happened, he led his Blazers with 22 points and 8 rebounds for the decisive 3: 0 against the Utah Jazz. What a tough dog.
The revolution
At Rose Garden Sabonis was a crowd pleaser from day one - no wonder in his attitude. But there was something else that made the mystery beyond the Iron Curtain, of which only a handful of scouting tapes had come to the US apart from live images of major international events, especially: It was his way of playing. It was like a revolution.
Not only did he feel as comfortable in his face-up as he did with his back to the basket - no, the 2.21-meter center already had a high-percentage threesome when Dirk Nowitzki still ran the drum around the Christmas tree. And only his passes! Behind the back, behind the head, No look - Sabonis always found a way to make the Anspiel exceptional. He was the first point center in history.
The oldie rocks
The Blazers' risk paid off straightaway, and as a 31-year-old rookie, Sabas posted 14.5 points (38 percent threesomes) and 8.1 rebounds - just to break the playoffs to 23.6 points (56 percent threes) and 10 To boost 2 boards. In the election for the rookie of the year, he finished second behind Damon Stoudamire, even in the voting of the best sixth man, he had to settle for second place (behind Toni Kukoc).
Every year Sabonis reached the playoffs with the Blazers, in 2000 they had a great chance. In the Conference Finals, Portland were already 1-3 down the Lakers led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, but Sabas and Co. fought to a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 7. Then they broke on.
It was the only - and admittedly pretty good - opportunity for Sabonis to crown his unparalleled career with an NBA ring. In the finals waited the weaker rated Indiana Pacers, who sent Shaq and Kobe home 4-2 and secured the title.
In the second attempt:
The first return to Lithuania, with his newly formed national team Sabonis had won during his NBA time still two Olympic bronze medals and world championship silver, failed in 2001 in several injuries - he could not deny a single game for Zalgiris Kaunas. After a last reservist season in Portland, the lap of honor that followed the retirement followed by the home.
With Kaunas Sabas won a final league title and crowned with 39 years (!) Again for Euroleague MVP (16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 28 minutes). It was the perfect end to Sabonis' long and successful career, which earned him the much-deserved recognition of being inducted into the 2011 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The true G.O.A.T.?
Hymns of praise to Arvydas Sabonis are sung not only in Lithuania. And not only from Margot and the Nucelar So and So's - but also from Donnie Nelson, GM of Dallas Mavericks and longtime assistant coach of the Lithuanian national team.
"Arvydas was Dirk Nowitzki, just 2.21 meters," Nelson said, "I do not think there was another player in the story who could do what Sabonis was capable of, he's one of the best ever wore a basketball jersey. "
And with this opinion, Nelson is not alone: "I have played against Sabonis since I was 16 years old," said Detlef Schrempf several years ago in an interview: "If he had previously gone to the NBA, he might be the best player of all Times have become. "
Martin Klotz
additionaly i can tell you that ptb fan base in Bosnia is becoming bigger and bigger, a lot of people watch Nurk and Ptb. I am glad for that.
