Arvydas Sabonis: biography, personal life, career in basketball, awards and games

Arvydas Sabonis - known Soviet and Lithuanian basketball player who in 1988 won the Olympic Games in the USSR team. There was also a world champion and Europe. During the 80-90's was considered one of the best pivot in the world. In 1985 he was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Became one of the first players in the modern basketball, who started confidently throw from the three-point arc, it has become one of the best strikers in the history of the NBA. He is currently the president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.

Early in his career

Arvydas Sabonis was born in 1964 in Kaunas. Basketball started in 9 years at a local sports school. His first coach said Yuri Fedorov.

Athlete himself later recalled that already wanted to leave the sport after two years of training as a gym where he worked, was too far from home, so they often have to go back too late in the parents' apartment. Only the coach was able to convince him that that should continue his career as he has great prospects. At the same time in parallel Arvydas Sabonis had a few more hobbies at the music school he played the accordion.

In 1981, Sabonis won school competitions of the USSR as part of the Lithuanian team. After that, the head coach of Kaunas "Zalgiris" invited him to go to this famous club. In the same year a basketball player Arvydas Sabonis made his debut in the junior team of the Soviet Union at the European Championships.

Debut in professional sports

As part of the senior team "Zalgiris" Sabonis made his debut in 1981 in a match against "Kalev". First of all, the outstanding growth of Arvydas Sabonis has impressed experts and fans - he was 213 centimeters. In the debut of the meeting, he scored 14 points in that time he was only 16 years old.

Together with Sabonis "Zalgiris" three times in a row won the championship of the USSR, and in 1984 and 1985, he was awarded the title of best player in Europe, according to the authoritative Italian sports publication.

In the USSR team

Since 1982, Sabonis started to play for the USSR basketball. At the world championships team was able to win, defeating formidable Americans in the playoff with a score of 95:94. At the same time Sabonis in the final and other responsible gaming did not appeared on the site, as the coach of Gomel considered that he still lacks experience.

In 1984, the Soviet team was considered one of the strongest in the world, but did not go to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in response to the boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow, which took place four years before that. Therefore, the USSR national team settled for a victory at the European Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. 89: In the final, the team was defeated by Czechoslovakia 120. Sabonis was named the best player of the tournament.

Trauma

In the summer of 1985 photo Arvydas Sabonis appeared on the front pages of sports publications after the team of the National Basketball Association, "Atlanta Hawks" chose him in the fourth-round pick, but the results were annulled due to the player's youth. Remaining in the "Zalgiris" Sabonis in 1986 at a time out of action. He suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury in the game against the Yugoslav "Cibona". The damage was so dangerous that the treatment he was sent to the Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology in the Soviet capital.

Because of this, Sabonis missed the first final match of the USSR Cup against CSKA Moscow, which lost to the Lithuanian club. Sports leaders of the republic then began to pressure the State Sports Committee, convinced that Sabonis has healthy and can take part in the remaining games. After that "Zalgiris" won twice in a row CSKA, becoming the champion of the country once again. But two months later the player had a relapse, he re-tore the Achilles tendon.

Olympics in Seoul

In the biography of Arvydas Sabonis had a hard time when he had to be treated for a long time to recover and in America. In the Soviet Union, he returned in the summer of 1988, to begin preparations for the Olympics. Until the Games in Seoul, he and a half years because of injury did not play basketball for the first time appeared on the site only in Seoul in the match against Yugoslavia.

The national team suffered a crushing defeat 79:92, but mostly Sabonis was the return to the site, who earned 11 points. In other matches, the Soviet basketball team celebrated the success, were beaten Australia - 91:69, Puerto Rico - 93:81, South Korea 110: 73, the CAR - 88:76.

The second place team advanced to the quarter finals, could not cope with the striker Brazilian Oscar Schmidt, who scored 46 points. After the break, the Soviet basketball team lost 53:58, but due to a long bench were able to bring the game to win 110: 105, Sabonis scored 12 points. In the semifinals of the USSR he played against the United States. Experts admitted that it was an outstanding game Sabonis, who played well in the defense. He was able to switch off from the game Robinson and Volkov - Manning. The game ended with a score of 82:76.

In the final match was played Yugoslavs 76:63 and Sabonis scored 20 points. It was the second Olympic gold medal in the history of the Soviet Union.

Foreign period

After that, it became clear Arvydas Sabonis basketball finally returns. Soon they re interested in foreign clubs. In 1989, he is allowed to leave the USSR, but instead go to America as many thought, he went to play in Spain. In the Spanish league he spent six seasons.

First he advocated "Valladolid", and then for Madrid "Real". With the "Real", he twice became the champion of the country, and in 1995 won the club championship of Europe.

At the Olympics as part of Lithuania

Already playing abroad in 1992. Sabonis again went to the Olympics, but this time in the national team of Lithuania. Soviet team played under the Olympic flag, it was she who inflicted the only defeat of Lithuania in the group stage with a score of 80:92.

In 1/4 final Sabonis team prevailed over the Brazilians 114: 96, but in the semi-final in all respects to the Americans lost 76: 127. In the game for third place Lithuania again met with the United team, advocated by the basketball players from the former Soviet republics. At this time, I managed to take the rematch 82:78. Sabonis in that game scored 26 points and made 16 rebounds.

NBA

In '31 Sabonis, finally leaving to play in the NBA, when many of it that is not expected. Over the ocean, he spent seven seasons in a row, each time seeking to participate in the playoffs with their teams.

The most successful for him becomes the 1999/2000 season's. When he is in the team, "Portland Trail Blazers" is released in the Western Conference finals, where oregontsy only in the last match of the series losing to eventual winners, "Lakers."

In 1996 he took part in the Olympic Games in Atlanta. In the group stage Lithuania lost only USA 82: 104. In 1/4 final draw of Greece knocked out (99:66), and in the semifinals lost to the Yugoslavs - 58:66. Like four years ago, the team managed to win the bronze. In the match for third place beat Australia 80:74.

In 2001, he decides not to renew the contract with the team from Portland since recognized that he was tired both physically and mentally from seven years performing at such a high level. The hero of this article returns to Europe, where he spent a season in the "Zalgiris". And beginning in Lithuania expected that he will be able to join the team only in the most important and decisive match, but he played the entire season with virtually no substitutions.

He then for another year in the NBA returns to once again go all the way to the championship with the "Trail Blazers". But his team is already in the 1/8 finals losing "Dallas" in the series with a score of 3: 4.

In his last season in professional basketball Sabonis spends in "Zalgiris". He brings the team into the top-16 of the Euroleague, and on the basis of his entire season recognize the most valuable player in Europe. After a career of our hero article becomes president of the Lithuanian "Zalgiris", it remains in this position until now.

Life

Wife Arvydas Sabonis name Ingrida. In 1988, she won the title "Miss Vilnius", and became the first Lithuanian runner-up for next year. They have four children: three sons (Tautvydas, Domantas and Žygimantas) and daughter Aušrinė.

In Tautvydas currently serves in the Spanish championship in basketball for the youth team, "Malaga", brought to the game for the national team of Lithuania under the age of 19 years, which won the World Cup in 2011.

Two other sons also became Sabonis basketball, speaking at the international tournaments for the national team in different age groups. Domantas in 2016 went to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where the Lithuanians in the 1/4 finals lost to Australia 64:90. Now he plays in the NBA, "Oklahoma City Thunder."

The hero of our article to devote his spare time likes fishing. He is a true polyglot, fluent in Russian, Lithuanian, Spanish, Polish and English.