History of Domantas Sabonis in Timeline
Domantas Sabonis is a Lithuanian-American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings and the Lithuanian national team. The son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, he has achieved notable success in his own right, earning two All-NBA Team selections and three NBA All-Star selections.
1988: Marriage of Arvydas Sabonis and Ingrida Mikelionytė
Domantas Sabonis's parents, Arvydas Sabonis and Ingrida Mikelionytė, were married in 1988. Ingrida Mikelionytė was the first Miss Lithuania.
1991: Birth of Žygis Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis's brother, Žygis, was born in 1991.
1992: Birth of Tautvydas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis's brother, Tautvydas, was born in 1992.
May 3, 1996: Birth of Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis was born on May 3, 1996, in Portland, Oregon.
1997: Birth of Aušrinė Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis's sister, Aušrinė, was born in 1997.
2004: Sabonis Family Moves to Spain
Following Arvydas Sabonis's retirement from basketball in 2004, the Sabonis family relocated from Portland to Málaga, Spain.
September 5, 2012: Debut for Unicaja Málaga
Domantas Sabonis made his debut for Unicaja Málaga against Cibona Zagreb at the young age of 16.
October 13, 2013: Liga ACB Debut
On October 13, 2013, Domantas Sabonis made his Liga ACB debut, becoming the youngest Unicaja player to achieve this feat at 17 years, 5 months, and 10 days old.
February 2014: FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award Voting
Domantas Sabonis finished in the top 10 for the 2013 FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award voting.
November 14, 2014: NCAA Debut for Gonzaga
Domantas Sabonis made his NCAA debut for the Gonzaga Bulldogs on November 14, 2014, showcasing his skills with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
January 2015: FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award Voting
Domantas Sabonis earned a top-five spot in the 2014 FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award voting.
February 3, 2015: WCC Player of the Week
Domantas Sabonis was named West Coast Conference Player of the Week on February 3, 2015, after averaging 13 points and 11 rebounds per game.
July 9, 2015: Invited to Lithuania National Team Training Camp
On July 9, 2015, Domantas Sabonis was invited to join the Lithuania men's national team training camp for the first time.
July 29, 2015: Debut for Lithuania National Team
On July 29, 2015, Domantas Sabonis made his debut for the Lithuania men's national team in a game against Australia, scoring 4 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Sabonis became the youngest player to play for the national team, surpassing Jonas Valančiūnas.
August 13, 2015: ESPN NCAA Player Rankings
ESPN ranked Domantas Sabonis 20th in its NCAA player rankings for the 2015-16 season, praising his rebounding abilities.
2015: Return to Gonzaga for Sophomore Year
Domantas Sabonis decided to return to Gonzaga for his sophomore year, opting not to enter the 2015 NBA Draft.
2015: Jonas Kazlauskas' Description of Domantas Sabonis
In 2015, Lithuanian basketball coach Jonas Kazlauskas described Arvydas Sabonis's son, Domantas Sabonis, highlighting his potential and skills.
January 2, 2016: Impressive Performance Against San Francisco Dons
On January 2, 2016, Domantas Sabonis delivered a remarkable performance against the San Francisco Dons, scoring 35 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, providing 4 assists, and blocking 3 shots in a thrilling overtime victory.
April 2016: Declaration for 2016 NBA Draft
Domantas Sabonis declared for the 2016 NBA Draft in April 2016, signing with agents Jason Ranne and Greg Lawrence of Wasserman Media Group.
August 12, 2016: Signs rookie contract with the Thunder
On August 12, 2016, after being drafted and traded to Oklahoma City, Sabonis signed his rookie scale contract with the Thunder.
2016: NBA Draft and Trade
In 2016, Domantas Sabonis was drafted 11th overall by the Orlando Magic and immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
January 25, 2017: Selected for Rising Stars Challenge
On January 25, 2017, Sabonis's rising talent was recognized as he was named to the World Team for the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge.
July 6, 2017: Traded to the Indiana Pacers
On July 6, 2017, Sabonis was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with Victor Oladipo in exchange for Paul George.
2017: Trade to Indiana Pacers
In 2017, Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Indiana Pacers.
January 3, 2018: Scores then career-high 24 points against the Bucks
On January 3, 2018, Sabonis showcased his scoring prowess with a then career-high 24 points against the Milwaukee Bucks, though the Pacers lost.
September 26, 2018: Pacers exercise team option on Sabonis' contract
On September 26, 2018, the Indiana Pacers demonstrated their confidence in Sabonis by picking up the team option on his contract, securing his future with the team.
December 2018: Named Lithuanian Player of the Year
In December 2018, Sabonis's outstanding performance was acknowledged when he was honored as the Lithuanian Player of the Year by the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.
March 19, 2019: Ties career-high in rebounds against the Clippers
On March 19, 2019, Sabonis displayed his dominance on the boards by tying his then career-high of 16 rebounds in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, even though the Pacers lost.
October 21, 2019: Signs contract extension with the Pacers
On October 21, 2019, Sabonis secured his future in Indiana by signing a lucrative four-year, $77 million contract extension with the Pacers.
December 15, 2019: Sets new Pacers record for consecutive double-doubles
On December 15, 2019, Sabonis's consistent performance was evident as he achieved his 12th consecutive double-double, setting a new Pacers franchise record for the most consecutive double-doubles, surpassing Troy Murphy's record from 2009.
December 2019: Named Lithuanian Player of the Year for second consecutive year
Sabonis's exceptional year continued as he was named the Lithuanian Player of the Year for the second year in a row in December 2019.
January 21, 2020: Records first career triple-double
On January 21, 2020, Sabonis etched his name in NBA history by becoming the first Lithuanian player to record a triple-double, achieving this feat with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win against the Denver Nuggets.
November 2020: Named Lithuanian Player of the Year for third consecutive year
In November 2020, Sabonis's sustained excellence was recognized as he was honored as the Lithuanian Player of the Year for the third consecutive year.
December 23, 2020: Scores career-high 32 points against the Knicks
On December 23, 2020, Sabonis kicked off the 2020-21 season in style, setting a new career-high with 32 points and leading the Pacers to victory against the New York Knicks.
December 27, 2020: Hits game-winning layup against the Celtics
On December 27, 2020, Sabonis proved to be clutch, hitting a game-winning layup to secure a narrow victory for the Pacers over the Boston Celtics.
January 9, 2021: Sets new rebounding record with 22 rebounds against the Suns
On January 9, 2021, Sabonis dominated the boards, grabbing a career-high 22 rebounds in a game against the Phoenix Suns, although the Pacers fell short.
January 22, 2021: Sets career-high in steals and ties game with last-second shot against the Magic
On January 22, 2021, Sabonis showcased his all-around skills, setting a career-high with 5 steals and hitting a game-tying shot in the final seconds to force overtime against the Orlando Magic, ultimately securing a win for the Pacers.
February 3, 2021: Scores 33 points in three quarters against the Bucks
On February 3, 2021, Sabonis exhibited his scoring prowess once again, pouring in 33 points in just three quarters against the Milwaukee Bucks, though the Pacers couldn't secure the win.
February 17, 2021: Records triple-double with 36 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Timberwolves
On February 17, 2021, Sabonis put on a dominant performance, recording a triple-double with career-highs in points (36) and rebounds (17), along with 10 assists, leading the Pacers to a victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
2021: Named an All-Star and Sets Franchise Record
In 2021, Domantas Sabonis was named an All-Star as an injury replacement for Kevin Durant. He also won the Skills Challenge at the 2021 All-Star Game. On March 17, Sabonis logged his sixth triple-double of the season, setting a new franchise record. After missing six games due to a back injury, he returned on May 1 and logged another triple-double, helping the Pacers achieve the biggest road win in league history. On May 11, he logged his ninth triple-double of the season.
January 5, 2022: Sabonis Logs Fifteenth Career Triple-Double
On January 5, 2022, Domantas Sabonis recorded his fifteenth career triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129–121 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
February 8, 2022: Traded to Sacramento Kings
On February 8, 2022, Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Sacramento Kings along with Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and a 2023 second-round pick in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson. He debuted for the Kings the next day with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
March 11, 2022: Birth of First Child
Domantas Sabonis and Shashana Rosen welcomed their first child, a son, on March 11, 2022.
2022: Trade to Sacramento Kings
In a surprising move, Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Sacramento Kings in 2022 in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton.
January 13, 2023: Historic Performance for Kings
On January 13, 2023, Domantas Sabonis recorded 19 points, 15 rebounds, and a career-high 16 assists in a win over the Houston Rockets. He became the first player in Kings history to record at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game since Oscar Robertson in 1965.
February 2, 2023: Named to Third NBA All-Star Team
On February 2, 2023, Domantas Sabonis was named to his third NBA All-Star team as a reserve for the Western Conference. This made him and De'Aaron Fox the first Kings players to be named All-Stars since DeMarcus Cousins in 2016.
April 2023: Conversion to Judaism
In April 2023, Sabonis's wife announced that he was in the process of converting to Judaism. The family observes Shabbat and maintains a kosher diet.
May 10, 2023: Named to All-NBA Team
On May 10, 2023, Domantas Sabonis was named to his first All-NBA team, making the third team along with Kings teammate De'Aaron Fox. This marked the first time in the Sacramento-era that multiple Kings players made the All-NBA team.
July 2, 2023: Signs Historic Contract Extension
On July 2, 2023, Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings terminated his remaining one-season contract worth $19.4 million and signed a five-year contract extension worth $217 million. This is the most profitable contract in Lithuania's sports history.
2023: All-NBA Team and All-Star Selection
Domantas Sabonis was named to his first All-NBA team and earned his third All-Star selection in 2023. He played a key role in leading the Kings to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.
January 3, 2024: Triple-Double Against Orlando Magic
On January 3, 2024, Domantas Sabonis recorded a triple-double with 22 points, a then season-high 23 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 138–135 double overtime win over the Orlando Magic.
January 29, 2024: Historic Performance Against Memphis Grizzlies
On January 29, 2024, Domantas Sabonis scored 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting, grabbed a career-high 26 rebounds, and delivered 5 assists in a 103–94 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. He became the second player in NBA history to achieve at least 20 points, 25 rebounds, five assists, and a shooting percentage of 90% or better, joining Wilt Chamberlain.
