Domantas Sabonis happy in Sacramento

Apr 13, 2025 1:48 PM

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis is poised to cement his place in NBA history as one of the league’s elite rebounders.

After leading the NBA in rebounds per game in both the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons, Sabonis is on track to top the leaderboard once again this year with a career-high average of 13.9 boards per game.

According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, unless Denver’s Nikola Jokić posts a historic, record-breaking rebounding performance on Sunday, Sabonis will become only the seventh player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding for three consecutive seasons.

That elite list includes legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Dennis Rodman, Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Andre Drummond. Except for Drummond, who is still active, all are Hall of Famers.

When informed of the company he’s now keeping, Sabonis expressed a mix of humility and excitement.

“I didn’t know that they’re all there,” he said. “That’s pretty cool, pretty cool. Pretty exciting, you know. At the same time, I’m just trying to go out there and play and do my job for the team and help whatever I can do to let them win. But obviously, it’s an honor to be mentioned with those guys. I think that’s really cool.”

Beyond his dominance on the glass, Sabonis is also a strong contender to earn a spot on an All-NBA team for a third straight year, having previously been named to the third team in both 2023 and 2024.

Achieving that honor again, he said, would be deeply meaningful: “It would be an honor.”

Reynolds notes that Sabonis is among a short list of just six players with a chance to secure a third consecutive All-NBA selection in 2025 – the others being Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry.

For Sabonis, who is the son of Hall of Fame big man Arvydas Sabonis, the recognition carries a legacy-defining weight.

“I never dreamt of being in the top 15 players of a season, let alone my name carrying a legacy, my dad’s name, the number, everything,” he said. “It’s just awesome.”

Despite his individual success, Sabonis’ season is unfolding under a cloud of uncertainty as the Kings find themselves fighting for survival in the play-in tournament.

To even qualify for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, they’ll need to win two high-stakes games. It’s a disappointing position for a team that began the year with much higher expectations.

Reynolds notes that the Kings’ uneven season, particularly the midseason trade of longtime teammate De’Aaron Fox, has fueled speculation that Sabonis might seek clarity on the franchise’s direction this offseason.

While a March report indicated that he could pursue conversations about the team’s trajectory, Sabonis has made it clear that he’s not pushing for an exit.

“I’m happy I’m in Sacramento,” he stated. “My offseason home’s in Napa. I couldn’t be happier here. I love the fans. I love playing for the city. I just wish we could perform better and give them what they deserve.”