Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle recently shared high praise for Lithuanian basketball legend Arvydas Sabonis during an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, highlighting Sabonis’s exceptional skills before his Achilles injury.
In his reminiscence of Sabonis’s prime years, Carlisle emphasized the remarkable athleticism and versatility displayed by the towering center, comparing him to NBA icon Larry Bird but with an added level of dynamism.
“When he was 23, 24, 25, 26 before he tore his Achilles, go on YouTube and like punch in ‘Arvydas Sabonis pre-injury.’ These highlights, shattered backboards, unbelievable dunks like this. He was a 7’4″ Larry Bird, but more dynamic,” Carlisle recalled.
Despite facing adversity with injuries later in his career, Sabonis’s basketball IQ and multifaceted skill set enabled him to remain a formidable force on the court well into his 30s, making significant contributions to the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Sabonis came over at age 31 to Portland when I was an assistant and he still played at a high level and he understood the game so well and had such great skill that he can beat you with passing, rebounding and he could post up and he shot threes easily,” Carlisle explained.
Moreover, Carlisle highlighted the enduring legacy of the Sabonis basketball lineage, noting the impressive achievements of Arvydas’s son, Domantas Sabonis, who has followed in his father’s footsteps to become a standout player in the NBA.
“And his now, Domantas Sabonis, coached him for half a year in Indiana before the trade. He made All-NBA this year,” Carlisle added.