What is Arvydas Sabonis’s Net Worth?
Arvydas Sabonis is a former professional basketball player from Lithuania who has a net worth of $18 million. Arvydas Sabonis is considered one of the greatest European players of all time. During his career, which lasted from 1981 to 2004, he played in the USSR Premier Basketball League, the Liga ACB, and the NBA, and won six Euroscar European Player of the Year Awards. Sabonis also had a prolific career playing with the Soviet Union men’s national basketball team, winning gold at the 1982 World Championship, 1985 EuroBasket, and 1988 Summer Olympics.
Career Earnings
During his NBA career, Arvydas Sabonis earned a bit more than $47 million in salary.
Early Life and Education
Arvydas Sabonis was born on December 19, 1964 in Kaunas, Lithuania in what was then the Soviet Union. He began playing basketball at the age of 13, and by the time he was 15 he was a member of the Soviet national junior team. For his higher education, Sabonis attended the Lithuanian University of Agriculture.
European Club Career, 1981-1995
Sabonis made his professional basketball club debut in 1981 with the Lithuanian team Žalgiris. He had great success with the team, winning three consecutive USSR Premier Basketball League titles as well as the 1986 FIBA Club World Cup. Sabonis also earned Euroscar European Player of the Year Awards in 1984, 1985, and 1988, and a Mister Europa European Player of the Year Award in 1985.
After leaving Žalgiris in 1989, Sabonis signed with the Spanish Liga ACB club Fórum Valladolid, and played with the team for three seasons through 1992. He subsequently joined the Liga ACB club Real Madrid. Sabonis had some of his best career seasons with Real Madrid, winning Liga ACB titles in 1993 and 1994 and the European League title in 1995. In both 1994 and 1995, he was named the MVP of the Liga ACB.
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Portland Trail Blazers
Originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA draft, Sabonis was unable to play for the team due to being under 21. In the following year’s draft, he was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Sabonis was restricted from playing with the team at the time by the Soviet authorities. He finally made his debut for the Blazers in 1995 after the end of the 1994-95 European season. Sabonis had a strong rookie season in the NBA, averaging 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as the Blazers advanced to the playoffs.
As part of a 21-year streak, the Blazers made the playoffs in each of Sabonis’s seven seasons with the team through 2003, with their best outcomes being finishes in the Western Conference Finals in both 1999 and 2000. Overall, Sabonis had his best statistical season with the Blazers in 1997-98, averaging career highs of 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists per game. Although he retired from the NBA after the 2000-01 season, he returned to play one final season with the Blazers in 2002-03.
Return to Žalgiris
After leaving the NBA in 2003, Sabonis returned to his original team, Žalgiris, for one last season of professional basketball. He ended up having a tremendous season, leading the team to the EuroLeague Top 16 and earning EuroLeague Regular Season and Top 16 MVP honors.
(Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
National Team Career
On top of his club career, Sabonis enjoyed enormous success as a member of the Soviet Union men’s national basketball team. He first represented his country playing for the under-16 team, capturing the gold medal at the FIBA European Championship for Cadets in 1981. The following year, on the senior team, Sabonis helped lead the Soviet Union to gold at the 1982 FIBA World Championship. A bronze medal followed at the 1983 EuroBasket. In 1985, Sabonis and the Soviet Union claimed gold at the EuroBasket, with Sabonis being named the tournament’s MVP. He went on to help his country win silver at the 1986 World Championship. Two years after that, Sabonis and the Soviet Union won gold at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of Lithuania, Sabonis joined the Lithuania men’s national basketball team. He played with the team at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, winning bronze medals at both. Sabonis also helped lead Lithuania to a silver medal at the 1995 EuroBasket. Many years after his retirement from playing, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in recognition of his numerous achievements in international competition. Not long after that, Sabonis became the new president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, and in his role shared the silver medal won by Lithuania in the 2013 EuroBasket.
Personal Life
With his wife, model and actress Ingrida Mikelionytė, Sabonis has a daughter named Aušrinė and three sons named Žygimantas, Tautvydas, and Domantas. All three sons play professional basketball, with Domantas playing for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
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