Is Sabonis overrated?

[D.J.]

How can he be overrated? About half the posters here never saw him live and probably 75%+ don't remember him arriving in the NBA at 31. I remember him being in Europe, I remember him debuting in '95, and remember him playing his last game in '03. Not many here were around for all that. A prime Sabonis was basically Tim Duncan with a three point shot.

[chains5000]

How can he be overrated? About half the posters here never saw him live and probably 75%+ don't remember him arriving in the NBA at 31. I remember him being in Europe, I remember him debuting in '95, and remember him playing his last game in '03. Not many here were around for all that. A prime Sabonis was basically Tim Duncan with a three point shot and a good free throw percentage.

Added some more.

[alenleomessi]

isnt he a better passer than duncan too?

[madmax]

isnt he a better passer than duncan too?

a better passer, shooter and and of course 5 inches taller on top of all things

[millwad]

Prime sabs was a beast so no

Between what years do you consider that Sabas was in his prime?

Actually, all of you guys, what years do you think Sabas was in his absolute prime?

[D.J.]

Between what years do you consider that Sabas was in his prime?

Actually, all of you guys, what years do you think Sabas was in his absolute prime?

His prime was the late 80s-early 90s, when he was still in Europe. Figure around '88-'91.


Against Admiral in '86- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mwuNWNSgeQ

A clip from '84- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFFTjjFw-g

'95- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajy1Qv3KZV4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frSDdPotmnw

[ZenMaster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFFT...sDZuw&index=10

[millwad]

His prime was the late 80s-early 90s, when he was still in Europe. Figure around '88-'91.

Interesting, in '88 he played college-version of Drob again and I consider Drob winning that match-up even though his team lost.

And other than winning the olympics his career highlights and awards doesn't show him making any great noise those years. Other than the Olympics I didn't see him play between those years since my father didn't record any.

But an interesting fact is that he didn't get any Mr. Europa award those years for being the player of the year, Marčiulionis, Divac and Kukoc got it those years.

And he got the Euroscar award only once during those year you mentioned and the rest of the years you considered to be Sabas in his prime he got beat by Petrovic and Kukoc. That makes me question Sabas true greatness..

Against Admiral in '86- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mwuNWNSgeQ

I've seen the the full game, that video doesn't do any justice to David Robinson because college-version of Robinson even outscored Sabas in that game and he was just as good.

A clip from '84- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFFTjjFw-g

'95- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajy1Qv3KZV4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frSDdPotmnw

Thanks for the rest of the clips, but it wasn't the videos I was out after since I've seen the guy play since my dad had him as his favourite player and he recorded many of his games.

[Euroleague]

Best European league players of the 80s..........

1. Nick Galis

2. Oscar Schmidt

3. Drazen Petrovic

4. Sarunas Marciolonis

5. Arvydas Sabonis

6. Dino Meneghin

Sabonis/Marciolonis is debatable. You could go either way with them in the rating. But Sabonis was never the best player in Europe during the 80s as NBA fans all claim he was.

It was not until the 90s that he was possibly the best player in Europe, along with Kukoc.

So, much of the stories that NBA fans talk about are exaggerated, as all NBA fans claim he was "the best player in Europe during the 80s."

[Euroleague]

Great point. I can make a highlight mix of michael olowakandi and you'd think he's the next wilt. You can't put much stock in mix tapes.

I honestly don't think he should be in the hall of fame. But now that he is, pandoras boox has been opened. And I wonder.... while I'm not well versed on european basketball, why is kukoc not as highly regarded as petrovic and galis? He's accomplished more than they did overseas, as well as in the nba.

Kukoc was not as good as Petrovic and Galis. Perhaps that has something to do with it.

[Euroleague]

Prime Sabonis was taller, more skilled and tougher version of Pau Gasol...you can draw your own conclusions, but he would be the best center in NBA if he played today

I don't think Pau Gasol is a good comparison. A better comparison would be someone like Divac, except definitely better.

[Euroleague]

Would you pick him over Dwight?

What the hell? Prime Sabonis was much better all around as a player than Howard is.

[Euroleague]

we had a basketball talk in history today and the teacher said sabonis is the best center he ever saw
he rofled when i told him jonas valanciunas is supposed to be the next sabonis
everyone in class was wtf are these guys talking
cant wait for history tomorrow

back on topic i obviously didnt watched him, but from the footage ive seen, info, stats and people that actually watched him, seems like 90% of them think he is the goat european, of course the 10% who dont are greeks and croatians

Galis and Petrovic are considered the best European players of all time by the majority of people in Europe.

[BlackJoker23]

Galis and Petrovic are considered the best European players of all time by the majority of people in Europe.

you dont live in europe *******. off yourself asap

[Euroleague]

This is what I've been saying, as well. A center who would rank up there with the Wilts, Kareems, Hakeems, etc, would have blown his other European competitors out of the water. Yet, the "Sabonis vs Petrovic" debate is among the hottest European classics, and I don't see anyone rank Petrovic up there with Jordan and Magic.

Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith said that Petrovic was better than even Olajuwon was. Personally I disagree with them.

But they both argued and said Drazen was the best international player they saw in the NBA - better than Hakeem.

NBA fans have no clue how good Drazen and Galis really were.