Domantas Sabonis

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Domantas Sabonis was born on May 3, 1996, in Portland, Oregon, when his father, Arvydas Sabonis, was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. His mother is Ingrida Mikelionytė, the first Miss Lithuania in 1988. He has two older brothers, Žygimantas and Tautvydas, and a younger sister, Aušrinė. When Arvydas was once asked if any of his sons would follow his footsteps in basketball, he singled out Domantas due to his stubbornness and because he is left-handed. In 2004, Domantas' father retired from basketball, and the whole family moved from Portland to Málaga, Spain. Sabonis declined a Unicaja Málaga offer of a three-year $630,000 contract to play in the NCAA, committing to Gonzaga University. In his sophomore season, he set career highs with 36 points and 16 rebounds against Tennessee, and in his freshman season, he grabbed 20 rebounds against Pacific. He was named to the First-team All-WCC and CBS College Basketball All-America Third-team. After being drafted 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in 2016, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night alongside Ersan İlyasova and Victor Oladipo for Serge Ibaka. He made his debut as the Thunder's starting power forward, becoming the first Thunder rookie to start on opening night since Serge Ibaka in 2009-10. In 2017, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, where he played five seasons and was named an All-Star three times (2020, 2021, 2023). In 2022, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton. In 2023, he was named to his first All-NBA team and third All-Star selection, leading the Kings to the third seed in the 2023 NBA playoffs and helping them break their NBA record 16-season playoff drought.

In Their Own Story

The Golden 1 Center hummed with anticipation as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter. Domantas Sabonis caught the inbound pass near the free-throw line, his eyes scanning the defensive rotation like a grandmaster surveying a chessboard. With defenders collapsing on him, he didn't force a shot; instead, he spun and fired a no-look pass to an open corner shooter. The ball swished through the net as the crowd erupted. In that moment, Sabonis wasn't just a center; he was the architect of Sacramento's resurgence.

Reader's Guide

Domantas Sabonis serves as the undisputed leader of the Kings' front office strategy on the court. His role is multifaceted: he initiates the offense, controls the rebounding battle, and scores with high efficiency in the paint. His background as a global talent from Lithuania has brought an international flair to Sacramento's roster construction. The team builds its entire system around his unique ability to handle the ball and make decisions under pressure. Sabonis's contribution is vital; without him, the Kings' offensive flow would stall. He connects the guards with the big men, ensuring that every player is involved in the attack, making Sacramento one of the most difficult teams to defend.

Did You Know?

• Domantas Sabonis was born in Portland, Oregon, when his father Arvydas was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.
• His mother, Ingrida Mikelionytė, was the first Miss Lithuania in 1988.
• He declined a three-year, $630,000 contract from Unicaja Málaga to play college basketball at Gonzaga.
• In his sophomore season at Gonzaga, he scored 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds against Tennessee, which head coach Mark Few called a 'monster line.'
• He became the first Thunder rookie to start on opening night since Serge Ibaka in 2009-10.