I was an '80 baby and grew up in Portland watching Clyde. Later, after moving, watched Wallace, Bonzi, and Sabonis lead the Blazers to the western finals (cough: nba finals) against the Lakers. When Sabonis was in the game Portland surged ahead. When he sat, Portland didn't know how to score. Without moving, Sabonis was the most critical piece to Portland scoring. Amazing. Wish I could have seen him when he could move.
Great point. He changed the court for sure because he could drain 15 footers all day long which would draw the other team's center out. Now days everybody can shoot, but back then he was the only big man that could reliably.
@@TheSands83 Just imagine they had him in the finals of 1990? or even in 1992? Do you think the outcome would have been different? As someone who saw him at an early age I can tell you that back then he could jump , block and still had the same game intelligence you saw from him in the NBA although his 3 point shot was not that great at the time.
There's been really only like 4 centers that have given Shaq trouble: 1. Hakeem 2. Yao (though he kind of figured him out after the first matchup) 3. Rick Smits 4. Sabonis Aside from Hakeem (who really didn't "Stop" Shaq and also didn't have a chance to guard Lakers Shaw in his prime), all those guys that gave Shaq trouble were 7'3" and taller, but also weren't lanky like a Shawn Bradley. They were guys that were north of 250lbs, longer than Shaq, and were fairly strong. Smits and Yao were both in their primes and honestly, old Sabonis played him better than those two did. I'm half Lithuanian and a Lakers fan, so I'm proud to have seen that Sabonis at that age keep Shaq from being an unstoppable beast. If he was younger, I really think Portland takes that series as Shaq would have had way more problems against a younger Sabonis and I doubt Sabonis would have been in as much foul trouble as well (Shaq was still too quick for him. It was more of Shaq's quickness that caused Sabonis issues than it was his strength).
I'm from Portland. I saw Sabonis a play a few times when I was a kid. He was huge and the best passing center I've ever seen. His hands were so massive they wrapped around the ball like a grape fruit but he had the touch of a point guard. No one who has ever played had the physical ability to pass like him, he was a freak of nature like a goliath. I think he is up there with the great centers like Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem, Shaq, Russell. He was old and slow by the time he got to the Blazers although it was still a treasure to have him just like we have Carmelo now in his golden years. Portland is like the retirement before retirement for some of the greats, Pippen played here to and was good for us. Maybe it's like a reversal for bad picks we've had like Bowie over Jordan and Greg Oden over Durant.
Sabonis (old, with two practically broken legs) came to America, where the best basketball players play, during the most competitive era, and held his own, against prime Shaq who is considered a top 3 center all time, taking the Lakers with Kobe Bryant, a top 5 player all time, to game 7 of the WCF. Then he went back to Europe and was voted MVP in his final season as a basketball player at age 40. Even as a shell of his former self, to the very end, he was great.
If he had a relatively healthy let's say 17 year career in the nba i think he'd be the goat hands down...it's an "if" ofc but there was nothing he wasn't excellent at. Shooting (from all over), post up, rebounding, defense, passing, iq, handles, footwork, leadership (his teammates loved him), clutch... Then like you said even with no knees/damaged achilles', back problems & a shell of his prime self in his late 30's he put up 15 & 9 every night vs prime shaq, the admiral, dream, ewing etc.
I've never seen 8/10 of those highlights so thanks for uploading.Sabonis when healthy was just too dominant and it's sad he came later in his career to the NBA he had the best intangibles of anyone ALL TIME
@Roger Martin Jabbar would have had a real problem with Sabonis in his prime. Jabbar always had trouble with Eaton when he was on him defensively. Eaton was just a very tall space eater who did not have any mobility. Yet his sheer size and strength bothered Jabbar. Sabonis had the size, more strength and mobility than Eaton. Jabbar was not a strong player and he would have ended up in the stands just like Robinson did. Jabbar never had to face a guy the size of Sabonis with his mobility and skill set. We need to remember Dawkins was only 6'10" as was Bob Lanier who was considered a giant in that era. He never had to face a 7'3" player who was as mobile and physically strong as Sabonis.
Basketball is a game of matchups and Sabonis would have been a matchup nightmare for Jabbar. The player who would have matched up best with Sabonis was Hakeem Oligewan. That would have been an interesting contest. Jabbar had a hard enough time matching up with Bill and Sabonis in his prime was more skilled, 4inches taller and much stronger.
@@WILTALK little Hakeem Olajuwon would have all kind of troubles with Sabonis, the same way he had troubles with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when they tried to let little Hakeem guard Kareem one on one. Little Hakeem is not a real 7-footer. He's not even six foot ten.
@@WILTALK Kareem was deceptively strong. Dont let his thin body type fool you. Also, he faced an older Wilt, and in those battles, I'd give Kareem a slight edge.
Yes, and vision of game as well - he approach in a second wright for that nick of time for scoring. Also, his back dunking -two in one. When he dunk with that big figure and strength from the back we got also two in one - defense with back, and attack with scoring.
@Jeremy Leveille Alanta drafted him at 86. Back then it was the cold war abd I don't know if he even knew he was drafted. They passed the rights to portland at 89. Now , if portland were able to get him back then, that would have been interesting (although already crippled at that point). But judging from they way they treated Petrovic, I don't know If he would have gotten a fair chance.
Recuerdo a Sabonis en la NBA cuando era adolescente, y aunque ya estaba muy veterano, era un excelente asistidor y tenía buen tiro a la distancia, algo inusual para los jugadores de su tamaño.
The reverse two-handed dunk over the defender is nuts. It's a great fake-out, because you turn your back to the basket. I'd like to see someone else do that one.
Ademas de anotar y de rebotear, a pesar de los problemas de rodilla, tenia una visión de juego que muchos bases ya quisieran! Gran video agur desde Valencia!
3:01 is so impressive. The combination of trying to get open and field a 3/4-court pass had Sabonis' momentum going towards the basket. The way he stops his Cadillac-esque body and keeps his toes behind the arc is impressive enough. When you realize that 85% of his body is beyond the 3pt line during this, he looks like a wide receiver catching a sideline TD. Seven foot tall, doesn't have his legs, hits a game tying three. The fact that they passed him the ball speaks volumes. He is probably the greatest NBA "what if". I think he could have been as good as Bo Jackson could have been, if that makes any sense. I understand I'm comparing injury to age, but I think Boner is the NBA equivalent
@@davidnavon5250 As a Blazers fan, there are a few "what ifs" but none greater than "What if Sabonis was on the team that made the championship runs in the 80s/90s?"
2:29 david robinson was #1 overall pick hall of famer nba champion dream teamer olympic gold medalist and scoring champion who once scored 70 points in a single game and had a quadruple double. But for me, his greatest accomplishment in basketball will always be that he did this after sabonis left him for dead. Because sabonis buried him not gonna lie... Not only did he put the tsar bomba on robinson but at 2:49 you can see him add insult to injury with the wwe style eye rake...the admiral was lucky he didnt become the pirate after this lol
Poor David Robinson getting abused again LOL. Seriously, Sabonis was so strong that during the 1988 Olympics, he was arm-wrestling with USSR weighlifters and wrestlers, and winning some. He was already 31, with both knees wrecked, when he moved to the NBA. While his agility was affected by injuries, his strength and passing ability never waned. He had all the strength and physicality of his 7-3 body, Bill Walton's passing and a 3-point shot. If Sabonis did not move to the NBA, Shaq might have stayed at his optimum "301" pound, Reebok commercial, Orlando Magic weight, and perhaps might have saved his body from premature wear. The presence of Sabonis and other giants in the West meant Shaq, already large as he was, had to bulk up some more.
Think about it built like and as strong as prime Mark Eaton , as fast and agile as David Robinson. Then add in shooting like Dirk and passing like Jokic if not better. If you look at what he did to David Robinson in the Olympics think about this, David Robinson was one of the fastest players, not just amongst bigs but players in general, of all-time. If you watch old videos it will bear out but you will know for certain if you saw him in person, there are few players today that could run like the Admiral. But Arvydas is keeping up with him in most instances if not out running him. He was equally coordinated and skilled. In his prime in today's game it would be absurd. Could you imagine Draymond trying to check him? He would take turns demolishing him in the post, drilling 3's and driving by him. Remember he guarded prime Shaq as well as anyone when he was a 31 year old NBA rookie. Just an incredible player. Remember he's not Yourvidas or Myvidas but Ourvidas😉
7 foot 4, with legitimate athleticism, shot blocking instincts, strength like shaq, jumper like Dirk, passing like Bird or Magic. He’s like the dream player.
@@coops1992 lol? you are retarded, but its fine i guess if you are american, as you have seen him only after his prime and without legs already. Domas has a bit of his father, but his fathers prime is not reachable for him because hes playing similar, but lets say 27y old Domas is playing like 37y old Arvydas without legs.
@@raulpablos4578 Robinson was a great player, too, an original Dream Teamer. Spare highlights don't make someone God or useless (not referring to Sabonis, of course).
@@sekainiheiwa3650 stfu, nobody cares if you’re jealous of the Nba ffs 🤦🏻♂️ why tf you think Sabonis went to finish his career in the NBA instead of some piss poor euro league. Why do you think that every players dream in a foreign league is to make it big in the NBA. I guarantee Sabonis had regrets about not going NBA sooner.
@@VD1350 he was old, the man said the NBA was too physically and mentally draining at that point. Which is exactly why he would’ve loved to have been able to play from a young age
Chauncey Billups said on ESPN few months about how Jokic and Sabonis are similar, in one way, yes, both of the players had perfect court vision, passing talent, soft hand not just around the rim, but also from deep and 3-point range. But he said after that "neither guy could jump over a piece of paper or could run". But really that is not true, if you see just some of this highlights from this video or you find a little bit more of him in his prime years in Europe, you'll see how actually he was athletic, he was strong and tough by nature, and that he wasn't from a physical standpoint similar or same as Jokic. Jokic never could dunk behind the head, or block three times opposing center from paint, or dunk on David Robinson. I am pretty sure that Chauncey nor Paul Pirce nor Jalen Rose (they were in the studio ) ever seen some footage of Sabonis beside NBA when he was in his late years, way later from his prime. Yes, I'm sure 100% that Sabonis would be one of the best, but REALLY one of the best centers in the history of NBA and world if he played from the beginning in NBA, but that's another story. I just wanted to emphasize how these commentators on studio even if they were professional players, many times don't know really about some players. And I'm from Serbia, and I think that in some areas like creativity, ball handling, and some other technical details Jokic is better than Sabonis. But Sabonis never was in physical aspect like Jokic he was way stronger, and he could jump more than Jokic in every situation. When they maybe watched Sabonis in Portland he was in his late years, after many injuries. (But even then he was fighting against Shaq, and was a dominant player.) And your comment is accurate! Best regards from Serbia :)
@@duloo97 yes, you are spot on! NBA payers judge Sabonis for what he did just in the NBA. He was very athletic and in great physical shape before Soviets forced him to play through injuries and destroyed his ligaments. He was 31 yo when he came to the NBA but his tendons were those of a 40 year old, so he played below the rim and relied on his IQ and court vision and size. Jokic shares Sabonis' court vision and size and IQ but is young and healthy but just not naturally athletic. I hope Jokic has a long and successful career in the NBA - I predict an MVP and a potential for rings. Good luck!
@@TML0677 he was overweight by the time he got into the NBA.. he if you look at his footage as a younger player for USSR, before injuries, he was fairly lean. Yeah, I think Robinson is 7'1 and Sabonis is 7'3.
one time a doctor looked at an Xray of his ankles (multiple fractures, past and present) and said "this man cannot be walking"... he was going through the NBA season playing back to backs
@@johnybee8261 it has nothing to do with Soviet doctors lol he was going up the steps that were cracked and thats were tore his achilles ... I know that for a fact he told that in his documentary...
@@almukas but they probably forced him to play instead of proper rehab. everyone thinks that the soviet officials demanded he play and the doctors eventually cleared him even though they knew he was injured and playing would cause long term damage.
Yeah that was a super dunk but it is Sabonis in his prime v Robinson as a kid basically. Pity were never got to see their Prime together. Pity the NBA never saw the prime of Sabonis either. Before the internet all we saw was the NBA and just hear the legend of Sabonis, would have been good to to see him in his prime
35 years 2 broken leggi down 3-1 in the CF against Kobe and Shaq trained by Phil Jackson and he forced Lakers to game 7 leading of 12 points at the beginning of the 4th quarter. 3 Olympic medals,European Champion and Euroleague Mvp(he was 40 years) and Champion. I think that he is one of the most underrated players of all time
Young Avydas was nasty, really nasty. Not only he could score in every way, but he had mad passing skills and he was strong as an ox. He instilled fear to the other centers!
those poor usa players on this highlights. sabas was something else before injuries and he was good enough to be better than most in nba after the injuries.
А где те 3 очка, которые Сабас положил югам в полуфинале ЧМ-86, на последней минуте, при минус 9??? На последней секунде владения сумасшедшим броском с попаданием от щита? Легендарный камбек с минус 9 за 45 секунд с выходом в овертайм и последующей победой там?
Para mi el mejor jugador de baloncesto que a visto mis ojos, si sabonis no hubiera tenido la lesión y se hubiera ido a la NBA con 22 años no hubiera existido un jugador que le hubiera hecho sombra.
Pero no le dejaron y luego vino la lesión, una pena . Aun así dominó Europa y luego lo hizo muy bien en NBA .Nada que envidiar a la grandes centers de la época
Desde luego, lo vi jugar desde que apareció en la selección sovietica con 17 años, con 2,20 hacia lo que le daba la gana, se movia como si midiera 2 metros, pase, tiro de media y larga distancia, un fenómeno
@@markufer4418 Como si midiese 1'80. Era una exageración, un talento puro acompañado de un cuerpo de ciencia ficción. Fíjate que ya convertido en un tío sin movilidad seguía siendo el mejor pivot pasador. Una pasada.
My first basketball game on a stadium was in Valencia, I think around year 89 or 90. The game was a Valencia-Valladolid (his first club outside the URSS, because after 86 big injury nobody thought he was going to be a great player). Watching him dominating the game was an absolute shock for everybody. He initiated the game as a PG, he moved with elegance and he passed with the vision of a great game director. Of course, he was a nightmare for the tallest men of Valencia Basket Club. Bill Russel, the Big Russ, a living legend, stated that he could have been one of the greatest centers ever if he hadn't had injuries. I will not speak about rankings: watching him play was absolutely amazing. Absolutely amazing, I insist.
![[HD] Pistol Pete Maravich - TOP 20 PLAYS Ⓒ 2016](/img/1.gif)
I was an '80 baby and grew up in Portland watching Clyde. Later, after moving, watched Wallace, Bonzi, and Sabonis lead the Blazers to the western finals (cough: nba finals) against the Lakers. When Sabonis was in the game Portland surged ahead. When he sat, Portland didn't know how to score. Without moving, Sabonis was the most critical piece to Portland scoring. Amazing. Wish I could have seen him when he could move.
Great point. He changed the court for sure because he could drain 15 footers all day long which would draw the other team's center out. Now days everybody can shoot, but back then he was the only big man that could reliably.
God if that original 90-92 blazers had him that would have been scary. They drafted him in 80s
@@TheSands83 Just imagine they had him in the finals of 1990? or even in 1992? Do you think the outcome would have been different? As someone who saw him at an early age I can tell you that back then he could jump , block and still had the same game intelligence you saw from him in the NBA although his 3 point shot was not that great at the time.
I remember as a kid watching that series and being glad when he sat so my team could recover haha.
There's been really only like 4 centers that have given Shaq trouble:
1. Hakeem
2. Yao (though he kind of figured him out after the first matchup)
3. Rick Smits
4. Sabonis
Aside from Hakeem (who really didn't "Stop" Shaq and also didn't have a chance to guard Lakers Shaw in his prime), all those guys that gave Shaq trouble were 7'3" and taller, but also weren't lanky like a Shawn Bradley. They were guys that were north of 250lbs, longer than Shaq, and were fairly strong. Smits and Yao were both in their primes and honestly, old Sabonis played him better than those two did.
I'm half Lithuanian and a Lakers fan, so I'm proud to have seen that Sabonis at that age keep Shaq from being an unstoppable beast. If he was younger, I really think Portland takes that series as Shaq would have had way more problems against a younger Sabonis and I doubt Sabonis would have been in as much foul trouble as well (Shaq was still too quick for him. It was more of Shaq's quickness that caused Sabonis issues than it was his strength).
I'm from Portland. I saw Sabonis a play a few times when I was a kid. He was huge and the best passing center I've ever seen. His hands were so massive they wrapped around the ball like a grape fruit but he had the touch of a point guard. No one who has ever played had the physical ability to pass like him, he was a freak of nature like a goliath. I think he is up there with the great centers like Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem, Shaq, Russell. He was old and slow by the time he got to the Blazers although it was still a treasure to have him just like we have Carmelo now in his golden years. Portland is like the retirement before retirement for some of the greats, Pippen played here to and was good for us. Maybe it's like a reversal for bad picks we've had like Bowie over Jordan and Greg Oden over Durant.
Вот это дааааа 🔥, вот повезло людям в его время ходить на матчи.. захватывает дух.
Видел Сабониса вживую в 1989 года на матче Жальгирис - РТИ :) И даже фотки делал.
Sabonis (old, with two practically broken legs) came to America, where the best basketball players play, during the most competitive era, and held his own, against prime Shaq who is considered a top 3 center all time, taking the Lakers with Kobe Bryant, a top 5 player all time, to game 7 of the WCF. Then he went back to Europe and was voted MVP in his final season as a basketball player at age 40. Even as a shell of his former self, to the very end, he was great.
If he had a relatively healthy let's say 17 year career in the nba i think he'd be the goat hands down...it's an "if" ofc but there was nothing he wasn't excellent at.
Shooting (from all over), post up, rebounding, defense, passing, iq, handles, footwork, leadership (his teammates loved him), clutch...
Then like you said even with no knees/damaged achilles', back problems & a shell of his prime self in his late 30's he put up 15 & 9 every night vs prime shaq, the admiral, dream, ewing etc.
@@T-roc57 chill bro, he was great I agree but he wasnt even the best player on those Portland teams.
@@MsBearhot-I was referring to his prime before the injuries...i don't think you understood my comment.
Kobe is not a top 5 player, in fact he is hardly a top 20.
@@guillermodorantesbalanzar1359-He's right around top 10.
Арвидас Сабонис - это икона любого мальчишки, занимавшегося баскетболом в СССР. Футболка под майкой, спокойствие и всегда красивый баскетбол!
Priviet ! Atkyda Ti ?
@@mclarenf-1team.503 Saint-Peterburg
@@paulkorbut4553 Tak priviet iz Litvi - Kaunas .
@@mclarenf-1team.503 Thank you! 😊👍
@@paulkorbut4553 не обращай внимание . троллей или идиотов достаточно везде
THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGEND
I've never seen 8/10 of those highlights so thanks for uploading.Sabonis when healthy was just too dominant and it's sad he came later in his career to the NBA he had the best intangibles of anyone ALL TIME
30 years ago Bill Walton said Sabonis, and Bird, were the two best players he'd ever seen.
Totally agree.
@Roger Martin Jabbar would have had a real problem with Sabonis in his prime. Jabbar always had trouble with Eaton when he was on him defensively. Eaton was just a very tall space eater who did not have any mobility. Yet his sheer size and strength bothered Jabbar. Sabonis had the size, more strength and mobility than Eaton. Jabbar was not a strong player and he would have ended up in the stands just like Robinson did. Jabbar never had to face a guy the size of Sabonis with his mobility and skill set. We need to remember Dawkins was only 6'10" as was Bob Lanier who was considered a giant in that era. He never had to face a 7'3" player who was as mobile and physically strong as Sabonis.
Basketball is a game of matchups and Sabonis would have been a matchup nightmare for Jabbar. The player who would have matched up best with Sabonis was Hakeem Oligewan. That would have been an interesting contest. Jabbar had a hard enough time matching up with Bill and Sabonis in his prime was more skilled, 4inches taller and much stronger.
@@WILTALK little Hakeem Olajuwon would have all kind of troubles with Sabonis, the same way he had troubles with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when they tried to let little Hakeem guard Kareem one on one. Little Hakeem is not a real 7-footer. He's not even six foot ten.
@@WILTALK Kareem was deceptively strong. Dont let his thin body type fool you. Also, he faced an older Wilt, and in those battles, I'd give Kareem a slight edge.
Number 3, playing with USSR team, is insane. Dunk to an indirect alley oop. Rebound and dunk in one!
Yes, and vision of game as well - he approach in a second wright for that nick of time for scoring. Also, his back dunking -two in one. When he dunk with that big figure and strength from the back we got also two in one - defense with back, and attack with scoring.
Far the best center from Europe I ever saw...
Maybe, even best of all
All the best from Cr🌞atia....
Thank you Arvidas....you ...ah🙂👌🍀🖖
The BEST 5 i have seen. Sabas!!!!!!!!!
Would have loved to see him play with Drexler, Porter and Petrovic!
@Jeremy Leveille Alanta drafted him at 86. Back then it was the cold war abd I don't know if he even knew he was drafted. They passed the rights to portland at 89. Now , if portland were able to get him back then, that would have been interesting (although already crippled at that point). But judging from they way they treated Petrovic, I don't know If he would have gotten a fair chance.
Recuerdo a Sabonis en la NBA cuando era adolescente, y aunque ya estaba muy veterano, era un excelente asistidor y tenía buen tiro a la distancia, algo inusual para los jugadores de su tamaño.
The reverse two-handed dunk over the defender is nuts. It's a great fake-out, because you turn your back to the basket. I'd like to see someone else do that one.
Another man for the “what might have been” list!
Ademas de anotar y de rebotear, a pesar de los problemas de rodilla, tenia una visión de juego que muchos bases ya quisieran!
Gran video agur desde Valencia!
Two straight blocks on Robinson 😮👏🇱🇹
That rebound and whoop-dee-doo full-court pass was a true thing of beauty
Arvidas, David Robinson Father
0:57 put back reverse dunk, never seen that !! 1:37 he reverse dunks in traffic 2:47 over the back
To make it simply, a combination between a tall man with a pure, cristal clear pointguard talent.
What a bad ass. Love when he takes shaq to the hole. We should of seen more out of him. God bless.
Should've
Sabonis out there looking like a white version of Wilt...What a player!!
I'd love to see a battle of young and no injuries Sabas vs Shaq
Sabonis would have the upper hand
Sabonis would kick his ass. Too many moves, and powerful enough to take him on D
Why? He was stronger than Shaq when he was old and injured.
Sabonis had it all..
Nothing to see hold my beer shaq
Sabonis around 92 was a fucking nightmare. Would have some NBA rings if he d made the right move by those years.
3:01 is so impressive. The combination of trying to get open and field a 3/4-court pass had Sabonis' momentum going towards the basket. The way he stops his Cadillac-esque body and keeps his toes behind the arc is impressive enough. When you realize that 85% of his body is beyond the 3pt line during this, he looks like a wide receiver catching a sideline TD. Seven foot tall, doesn't have his legs, hits a game tying three. The fact that they passed him the ball speaks volumes.
He is probably the greatest NBA "what if". I think he could have been as good as Bo Jackson could have been, if that makes any sense. I understand I'm comparing injury to age, but I think Boner is the NBA equivalent
I think that is the best definition of him I have ever seen. The greatest NBA "What If"... Awsome.
@@davidnavon5250 As a Blazers fan, there are a few "what ifs" but none greater than "What if Sabonis was on the team that made the championship runs in the 80s/90s?"
Miglior centro di tutti i tempi..
Many years ahead,,
What a player !!!!. Too bad I'm late for the NBA.
7th play is the best posterizing dunk that i ever saw
He is one of the reason dream team was formed…
Great sportsman! Cool guy
Sabonis in his prime in Nba would own any of that time centers.
2:29 david robinson was #1 overall pick hall of famer nba champion dream teamer olympic gold medalist and scoring champion who once scored 70 points in a single game and had a quadruple double.
But for me, his greatest accomplishment in basketball will always be that he did this after sabonis left him for dead. Because sabonis buried him not gonna lie...
Not only did he put the tsar bomba on robinson but at 2:49 you can see him add insult to injury with the wwe style eye rake...the admiral was lucky he didnt become the pirate after this lol
Poor David Robinson getting abused again LOL.
Seriously, Sabonis was so strong that during the 1988 Olympics, he was arm-wrestling with USSR weighlifters and wrestlers, and winning some.
He was already 31, with both knees wrecked, when he moved to the NBA. While his agility was affected by injuries, his strength and passing ability never waned. He had all the strength and physicality of his 7-3 body, Bill Walton's passing and a 3-point shot.
If Sabonis did not move to the NBA, Shaq might have stayed at his optimum "301" pound, Reebok commercial, Orlando Magic weight, and perhaps might have saved his body from premature wear. The presence of Sabonis and other giants in the West meant Shaq, already large as he was, had to bulk up some more.
Think about it built like and as strong as prime Mark Eaton , as fast and agile as David Robinson. Then add in shooting like Dirk and passing like Jokic if not better. If you look at what he did to David Robinson in the Olympics think about this, David Robinson was one of the fastest players, not just amongst bigs but players in general, of all-time. If you watch old videos it will bear out but you will know for certain if you saw him in person, there are few players today that could run like the Admiral. But Arvydas is keeping up with him in most instances if not out running him. He was equally coordinated and skilled. In his prime in today's game it would be absurd. Could you imagine Draymond trying to check him? He would take turns demolishing him in the post, drilling 3's and driving by him. Remember he guarded prime Shaq as well as anyone when he was a 31 year old NBA rookie. Just an incredible player. Remember he's not Yourvidas or Myvidas but Ourvidas😉
Thats a monster right there
That boy was a BEAST
MY IDOLS
the real GOAT
Саб - красавчик! 👍
Great vid thx
That last one, though.
Amazing IQ
go Sabas ! Go Lithuania !
Breaking the back board!
Imagine it's 1992. On one side Magic, MJ, Scottie, Charles, Ewing and on the other Dražen, Sarunas, Kukoč, Rađa, Sabonis
Monster 👾
One of the many reasons the entire cold War was very silly. The world was deprived
218cm of pure power... defend if u can
221cm.
He played first for his country..
Beast.
I saw him play in Kaunas when he was 18 or so,guy was unreal,remember like it was yesterday.
7 foot 4, with legitimate athleticism, shot blocking instincts, strength like shaq, jumper like Dirk, passing like Bird or Magic. He’s like the dream player.
jumper like Dirk :)))))))))))))))))))))))))
Nah he was worse then Wemby, KP, Dirk and even his own son Domantas.
Then you never see prime sabonis before injuries. Like jokicbut biger,stronger eith better abilities and faster.@coops1992
@@coops1992 lol? you are retarded, but its fine i guess if you are american, as you have seen him only after his prime and without legs already. Domas has a bit of his father, but his fathers prime is not reachable for him because hes playing similar, but lets say 27y old Domas is playing like 37y old Arvydas without legs.
@@coops1992catastrophic comment
Haha On 1:10 the broadcaster saying: and this was Sabonis seventh block.. eighth.. ninth.. tenth
Hahaha I didn't know that
In Hebrew hahaha
ahahahahhaha
The 198 dislikes are David Robinson, his relatives and his friends
Hahaha
@@raulpablos4578 Robinson was a great player, too, an original Dream Teamer. Spare highlights don't make someone God or useless (not referring to Sabonis, of course).
He tried it twice and Sabonis was like hell naw lol
@@raulpablos4578 Hakeem Olajuwon Did
😂 David got abused in 86
It's too bad we never got to see him play NBA in his prime
who cares about your f NBA we saw him playing here
@@sekainiheiwa3650 stfu, nobody cares if you’re jealous of the Nba ffs 🤦🏻♂️ why tf you think Sabonis went to finish his career in the NBA instead of some piss poor euro league. Why do you think that every players dream in a foreign league is to make it big in the NBA. I guarantee Sabonis had regrets about not going NBA sooner.
@@LilMilan420 he finished career in Eurolaegue and its not poor
@@VD1350 he was old, the man said the NBA was too physically and mentally draining at that point. Which is exactly why he would’ve loved to have been able to play from a young age
@@LilMilan420 NBA is trash
If Sabonis would have played in the NBA from an early age he would have been in the top 5 of NBA centers all time.
True
True
Yup
Very true
Yes..if he was healthy. A 7'3 Larry Bird or Rick Barry in their prime....
Sabonis, before all the injuries, was like Jokic trapped in David Robinson's body
Chauncey Billups said on ESPN few months about how Jokic and Sabonis are similar, in one way, yes, both of the players had perfect court vision, passing talent, soft hand not just around the rim, but also from deep and 3-point range. But he said after that "neither guy could jump over a piece of paper or could run". But really that is not true, if you see just some of this highlights from this video or you find a little bit more of him in his prime years in Europe, you'll see how actually he was athletic, he was strong and tough by nature, and that he wasn't from a physical standpoint similar or same as Jokic. Jokic never could dunk behind the head, or block three times opposing center from paint, or dunk on David Robinson. I am pretty sure that Chauncey nor Paul Pirce nor Jalen Rose (they were in the studio ) ever seen some footage of Sabonis beside NBA when he was in his late years, way later from his prime. Yes, I'm sure 100% that Sabonis would be one of the best, but REALLY one of the best centers in the history of NBA and world if he played from the beginning in NBA, but that's another story. I just wanted to emphasize how these commentators on studio even if they were professional players, many times don't know really about some players. And I'm from Serbia, and I think that in some areas like creativity, ball handling, and some other technical details Jokic is better than Sabonis. But Sabonis never was in physical aspect like Jokic he was way stronger, and he could jump more than Jokic in every situation. When they maybe watched Sabonis in Portland he was in his late years, after many injuries. (But even then he was fighting against Shaq, and was a dominant player.) And your comment is accurate! Best regards from Serbia :)
@@duloo97 yes, you are spot on! NBA payers judge Sabonis for what he did just in the NBA. He was very athletic and in great physical shape before Soviets forced him to play through injuries and destroyed his ligaments. He was 31 yo when he came to the NBA but his tendons were those of a 40 year old, so he played below the rim and relied on his IQ and court vision and size. Jokic shares Sabonis' court vision and size and IQ but is young and healthy but just not naturally athletic. I hope Jokic has a long and successful career in the NBA - I predict an MVP and a potential for rings. Good luck!
@@mrvk39 People forget Sabonis was post-injuries and past his prime by the time he got to Portland.
@@sydneystroud4397 very true!
@@TML0677 he was overweight by the time he got into the NBA.. he if you look at his footage as a younger player for USSR, before injuries, he was fairly lean. Yeah, I think Robinson is 7'1 and Sabonis is 7'3.
He was a really great player. Great center! Might be one of the best ever. Greatings from Serbia.
Yes, better then Rađa, better then Divac. Croatia greeting
He IS one of the best ever, no question. Greetings from America
hes a legend, one of the greatest could’ve beens. greetings from britain
He is from Lituainia
A young Sabonis in the NBA would have been amazing. Best passing big man of his era
Of any era. Now Jokic is playing similar style
And good 3point shooter like a free throw. He could hit it close to half court easily.
True
Sabonis a way better player but Luc Longley was a better passing center in that era
Edward Thompson Oh yes, Luc Longley, Australia's basketball pride back in the day
My god the shot blocking ability, the 3-pt. Shooting, the post play, the passing this guy was a complete package
Prime Sabonis looked like he was playing with a NERF hoop. Insane agility and power for a man that size.
@Jeremy Leveille Wilt Chamberlain
@Jeremy Leveille I agree with you on the shooting part
We, America, never saw the young Sabonis. Our misfortune.
It is so awesome to see people from all over the world knowing who this man is. He was more than a basketball player.
(Ron Weasley voice) He's an artist!
He is a legend!
Yup. More than being Damontas dad..
@@shawnsimmons4718😂😂😂
He was something before he blew out his knees, and, even with bad wheels, he still played in the NBA....
Not only knees. But both achiles
one time a doctor looked at an Xray of his ankles (multiple fractures, past and present) and said "this man cannot be walking"... he was going through the NBA season playing back to backs
he tore his both Achilles before coming to NBA... and it was Soviet doctors faults...
@@johnybee8261 it has nothing to do with Soviet doctors lol he was going up the steps that were cracked and thats were tore his achilles ... I know that for a fact he told that in his documentary...
@@almukas but they probably forced him to play instead of proper rehab. everyone thinks that the soviet officials demanded he play and the doctors eventually cleared him even though they knew he was injured and playing would cause long term damage.
One of the greatest ball players of all times. Just imagine how good he would be if he had not been forced to play when unhealthy in the 80s..
Yep. Good ole Soviet Union for ya
By they way at number 3 he dunks over David Robinson
Yeeeeah!
before that he give 2 blocks for him too. or it wasn't admiral?
@@zauliuz you are right!
@@zauliuz yes in 1992 Olympics. But Sabas wasnt the same then
Yeah that was a super dunk but it is Sabonis in his prime v Robinson as a kid basically. Pity were never got to see their Prime together. Pity the NBA never saw the prime of Sabonis either. Before the internet all we saw was the NBA and just hear the legend of Sabonis, would have been good to to see him in his prime
Арвидас ВЕЛИКИЙ!!!
“He’s not your Vydas, he’s not my Vydas, he’s Arvydas.”
Arrr vydas!
Гениальный литовский центровой сборной СССР! Долгих лет, Сабас!
Sbornoi CCCP only because it was occupied. He is always Lithuanian. Fck the ussr
He was actually kind of washed up by the time he finally arrived in the NBA. 80s Sabonis was a beast.
And he was still really good!
I remember some old Sabonis/Shaq threads, where folks were saying "Sabonis in a wheelchair >> Prime Shaq" LOL
Sabonis, Duncan, Akeem...sweet hands big men.
Sucks he didn't play in the NBA in his prime. Sabonis is a legend.
And yet, he was so dominant, not even a young Shaquille was able to stop him
When he arrived to NBA, hes legs were operated twice.
Now we get to see his son play. Who's already an all-star
Sabonis in NBA in his prime = Champion rings for Portland 7 times in a row for sure 100 % !
@@modestasgendvilas4779 Dam right! If we could've got him here in '88 .....
Amateur Sabonis was a beast! No one in the world was better. Robinson had nightmares going against Arvydas
35 years 2 broken leggi down 3-1 in the CF against Kobe and Shaq trained by Phil Jackson and he forced Lakers to game 7 leading of 12 points at the beginning of the 4th quarter. 3 Olympic medals,European Champion and Euroleague Mvp(he was 40 years) and Champion.
I think that he is one of the most underrated players of all time
I’m missing at least one play from his Real Madrid time... What an amazing player he’s been at every age, in every team!!!
Es verdad, nos hizo ganar la Octava. Aquellos tiempos en los que Mendoza fichaba a Petrovic y a Sabonis
Magnífico jugador. Uno de los mejores de toda la historia.
Young Avydas was nasty, really nasty. Not only he could score in every way, but he had mad passing skills and he was strong as an ox. He instilled fear to the other centers!
He's legend
The lord of the rims. More power than Sauron.
Legends never die...
Kas iš Lietuvos?👍
Nu tai sveiki :)
@ sveikas!
Aš 🤞
ir As!!!
Aš tai turbūt irgi, o ką? :)
The reverse dunks and the rejections are just cruel
Although he came to the NBA later in his Career, he was one of the first exciting basketball players that came from Europe. Great big man.
1st of its kind, if only he could go to the NBA at his prime
those poor usa players on this highlights. sabas was something else before injuries and he was good enough to be better than most in nba after the injuries.
А где те 3 очка, которые Сабас положил югам в полуфинале ЧМ-86, на последней минуте, при минус 9??? На последней секунде владения сумасшедшим броском с попаданием от щита? Легендарный камбек с минус 9 за 45 секунд с выходом в овертайм и последующей победой там?
Ia toje samoe podumal 👍👍👍
Para mi el mejor jugador de baloncesto que a visto mis ojos, si sabonis no hubiera tenido la lesión y se hubiera ido a la NBA con 22 años no hubiera existido un jugador que le hubiera hecho sombra.
Sí hubiese llegado a la NBA con 23/24 años se hubiese convertido en uno de los más grandes de todos los tiempos
Sin ninguna duda
Pero no le dejaron y luego vino la lesión, una pena . Aun así dominó Europa y luego lo hizo muy bien en NBA .Nada que envidiar a la grandes centers de la época
Lástima de la lesión, si no como bien dices hubiese sido uno de los más grandes pivots de la historia
Desde luego, lo vi jugar desde que apareció en la selección sovietica con 17 años, con 2,20 hacia lo que le daba la gana, se movia como si midiera 2 metros, pase, tiro de media y larga distancia, un fenómeno
@@markufer4418 Como si midiese 1'80. Era una exageración, un talento puro acompañado de un cuerpo de ciencia ficción. Fíjate que ya convertido en un tío sin movilidad seguía siendo el mejor pivot pasador. Una pasada.
Сабонис - легенда!!! Крутейший баскетболист!
He was a beast!
Tks for the post !!!
Sabonis was 25/30 years ahead of his time. Only recently centers started to be able to play like him.
We were fans of Sabonis in Great USSR and how I missed this time. He was greatest player in Europe, my big respects and hello from Uzbekistan🙏🇺🇿🇹🇷
Every Lithuanian hates your comment. Sabonis included. He was in Great Žalgiris and Lithuania. His dream was to play for Lithuania, not the ussr
Great USSR😂😂😂😂wtf
The Hero of Lithuania ❤❤❤ Pagarba amžiais !!!
Tadas Kazlauskas Not only he is a Hero of Lithuania but he also a Hero of CCCP era!👊😉
He would have never played for USSR, he was forced to do that.@@ArtKulik
Арвидос Сабонис. Лучший центровой, всех времен. Желаю здоровья и всего самого наилучшего вам и вашей семье. Булат. Г Костанай Казахстан
My first basketball game on a stadium was in Valencia, I think around year 89 or 90. The game was a Valencia-Valladolid (his first club outside the URSS, because after 86 big injury nobody thought he was going to be a great player). Watching him dominating the game was an absolute shock for everybody. He initiated the game as a PG, he moved with elegance and he passed with the vision of a great game director. Of course, he was a nightmare for the tallest men of Valencia Basket Club. Bill Russel, the Big Russ, a living legend, stated that he could have been one of the greatest centers ever if he hadn't had injuries. I will not speak about rankings: watching him play was absolutely amazing. Absolutely amazing, I insist.
Woao! Thiis is not a man, this is a tank in motion, a force of nature, a steam roller, a man mountain!
what you mean I'm pretty sure he was a man
he played nba too late...he can get championships at his prime
People say either LeBron or Jordan is the GOAT but for me Sabas is the real GOAT and it is not even close.
Sabonis starts as center in my all time fantasy team
As we can see from No.3, before his injury he was so very fast.. that following dunk over David Robinson on Goodwill Game in 1986... Legend!! 😎😎🥰👍
It 2asnt goodwill games. It was world championship
It wasn'tGG, it was WC.And USA won iz, but Sabonis was way better than Robinson.