Domantas Sabonis is a Lithuanian-American professional player who plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) League. He has recently started playing as a power forward for the Sacramento Kings.
Domantas had already played professional basketball in Spain before beginning his college career. He played his college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs before the NBA.
Besides, he also plays for the senior Lithuania men’s basketball team. He has already represented them in so many international tournaments on different levels.
Even though he is a massive guy with a lot of physical strength, he has a good pace and agility. He primarily plays an aggressive game, becoming a nightmare for the opponents with his quick passes and frequent rebounds.
Many had expected that he would find it extremely hard to do well under the weight of his Father’s stardom at the beginning of his career. But at this point, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that he is already set to achieve a status equal to his Father’s.
The athlete already has an engaging story in such a short basketball career. This article will notify you of almost everything about this young basketball prodigy.
But before moving into the details, here are some quick facts about Domantas Sabonis.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Domantas Sabonis |
Date of Birth | May 3, 1996 |
Birth Place | Portland, Oregon, the USA |
Nick Name | Not available |
Religion | Christianity |
Nationality | American/ Lithuanian |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
Age | 28 years old |
Height | 2.11 m (6 feet 11 inches) |
Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
Hair Color | Blonde |
Eye Color | Blue |
Build | Athletic |
Father’s Name | Arvydas Sabonis |
Mother’s Name | Ingrida Mikelionyte |
Siblings | Two elder brothers and a sister |
Siblings’ Name | Zygimantas, Tautvydas, and Ausrine |
Education |
|
Marital Status | Unmarried |
Sexual orientation | Straight |
Girlfriend’s Name | Shashana Rosen (engaged: 2020) |
Kids | None |
Profession | Professional basketball player |
NBA Draft | 2016 |
Position | Power forward/ center |
League |
|
Active Years | (2012–present) |
Net Worth | $1- $6 million |
Currently Plays For | Sacramento Kings |
Jersey Number | 10 |
Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | Notebook |
Last Update | December 2024 |
Domantas Sabonis | Early Life, Family & Early Career
Early Life & Family
Domantas Sabonis was born in Portland, Oregon, on May 3, 1996. He is the youngest son of the famous European basketball player Arvydas Sabonis and Ingrida Mikelionyte.
Moreover, his mother, Ingrida, was a fashion model, an actress, and the first Miss Lithuania.
Even though his family originally came from Kaunas, Lithuania, he spent his early childhood in Portland. He enrolled in Sunny View School, where he studied until 2003.
As a young kid, he often visited his Father’s matches with his mother.
Arvydas played the NBA league until 2003, and after his retirement, he took his whole family to live in Spain. Young Domantas had already started playing basketball with his older brothers by then.
After moving to a new city, he attended a local high school in Malaga, Spain. In addition, he joined the training camp to hone his basketball skills.
He soon became proficient in the sport and outshone his elder brothers. Even his Father once said he preferred his youngest son to carry his legacy.
Moving onto his family, he has two older brothers, Zygimantas and Tautvydas, who play professional basketball in Europe. Moreover, he has a sister named Ausrine.
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Early Career
Domantas debuted in 2012 for the Unicaja Malaga against the Cibona Zagreb. He was just 16 at that time. Then, he went on to play for the Clinacas Rincon for almost a year.
He made a debut in Liga ACB in the 2013-14 season for Unicaja Malaga on October 23, 2013. With this debut, he became the youngest to play in the Liga ACB. Five days later, on October 18, he made a debut in the EuroLeague.
He displayed his best throughout his first season in the Spanish league and set numerous records. As a result, Malaga won the Spain Youth Basketball League on May 10 that year.
He was named among the top 10 for the 2013 FIBA Europe Young Men’s Player of The Year Award for his performance. However, he never signed an official contract with Malaga throughout his years in Spain.
Domantas Sabonis | Career
College Career
Domantas Sabonis returned to the USA in 2014. He attended Gonzaga University that same year, turning down Malaga’s three-year contract worth around $0.6 million. On November 14, he debuted in the NCAA for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
The already experienced player played exceptionally well and had terrific stats. He averaged 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in his first NCAA season.
He was named to the NCAA South Regional All-Tournament team for his stellar performance. Moreover, he led Gonzaga to win the WCC Tournament Title.
Moving on to his sophomore year, he had even better stats. He averaged 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in his second NCAA season.
At the end of the season, he emerged as one of the nation’s finest prospects for the upcoming draft. Likewise, he became one of the finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.
In April, he decided to forgo his college career after his second season at Gonzaga and declared for the 2016 NBA draft.
NBA Career
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic selected Sabonis as the draft’s 11th pick in the first round. Subsequently, they traded him to the Thunders on draft night for Serge Ibaka.
The power forward of the Kings signed a rookie scale contract with the Thunders on August 12.
Domantas made his debut for the club against the Philadelphia 46ers on October 26. He recorded five points and 4 rebounds, playing 16 minutes as the game starter.
He performed excellent one match after another until Taj Gibson joined the club in March and benched him. The club let him play 81 matches in his rookie season and he started 66 games.
Talking about his stats, he averaged 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game that season.
Indiana Pacers
Domantas was traded to the Pacers on July 6, 2017, after his rookie season was over. Due to this sudden change, he could not play in the 2017 NBA Summer League.
Moreover, he missed the chance to represent Lithuania in the EuroBasket.
He made his debut for the Pacers averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds against Brooklyn Nets on October 18.
The Pacers extended his time for four more years, signing a contract on October 21, 2019. In his third NBA season with the club, Sabonis played 62 games averaging 18.5 points and 12.4 rebounds.
On January 21, Sabonis recorded his first triple-double with 22 points against the Nuggets. With this record, he became the first Lithuanian in NBA history.
He recorded nine triple-doubles in the 2020-21 season. In aggregate, he played 62 matches and averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season.
The 2021-22 NBA season was his last for the Pacers. He played excellent games before the club traded him to the Sacramento Kings. On January 9, 2022, he scored a career-high 42 points against the Utah Jazz.
Sacramento Kings
Sabonis was traded to the Sacramento Kings on February 8, 2022, for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.
He scored 22 points along with 14 rebounds and 5 assists in a debut match against the Timberwolves.
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Apart from league games, he has represented the Lithuania men’s national team in numerous international tournaments.
Age, Weight & Height
As of 2024, the NBA player is 28 years of age. Sabonis celebrates his birthday every year on May 3.
Moreover, he stands 2.11 meters (6 feet 11 inches) tall and weighs around 240 lb (109 kg). He is just four inches taller than his Father. However, he surpasses both of his older brothers by 2 inches.
When talking about his facial attributes, he has silky blonde hair and a beard of the same color. In addition, he has beautiful blue eyes.
Injuries & Health Update
Sabonis experienced his first significant injury in July 2020. He missed all games after suffering that foot injury. He had surgery before returning to the court for the next season.
After his first significant injury, he had numerous minor health problems. Then, in March 2021, he suffered a back injury forcing him to be out of court for many days. He finally returned on May 21.
Around the late injury, he had complained about a sore ankle, and because of that, he missed some matches. However, he is fit as of now.
Moreover, the club announced him on the Covid Reserve list on January 31, 2022, suspecting signs of Covid symptoms in him. However, he returned to the court on February 8 after clearing Covid safety protocols four days earlier.
Net Worth, Salary & Career Earnings
According to sources, he has an estimated net worth ranging from $1 million to $6 million. His primary source of earnings is the league games, and he earns a good amount annually.
Oklahoma City Thunders paid him around $2.44 million for his rookie season alone. After signing a new agreement with the Pacers, he earned around $28 million in almost five years.
The Sacramento Kings power forward currently has an annual salary of $18.5 million. Domantas has already earned about $31 million from his NBA career.
Moreover, the player has accumulated wealth through merch sales and company endorsements such as ANC earbuds, Citadele bank, etc.
Awards & Achievements
Some of his awards and achievements include:
- NBA All-Star (2020, 2021)
- First-team All-WCC (2016)
- AP Honorable Mention All-American (2016)
- WCC All-Freshman Team (2015)
- Second-team All-WCC (2015)
Domantas Sabonis | Personal Life
Domantas Sabonis is currently in a relationship with Shashana Rosen. He proposed to her in September 2020.
The athlete made his relationship public on his engagement day through his Insta post. Unfortunately, they had invited only his close friends and family members to that particular ceremony.
Rosen was born on October 15, 1992. She is a professional dancer. Previously, Rosen used to work as a dancer for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Moreover, she co-founded The Company and Superstars Dance Studio, based in L.A.
The couple does not have any children yet.
Social Media Presence
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Domantas a good defender?
Yes, Domantas is a good defender. Sabonis had a defensive rating of 97 in the 2020-21 season. Moreover, his defensive record has been even better in the ongoing season.
Is Domantas Sabonis an All-Star?
Domantas was an All-Star in the previous two seasons. However, he has been playing very well this season. So, he can be an All-Star this season, too, if he continues performing well.