Hello. I think I've been following this forum as a guest for a full year now ever since the loss to Blazers last year and just recently decided to register and mark my anniversarry by making this post. I never was a basketball fan and started following and supporting the Rockets just because of Motiejunas since he is from the same country that I am from. Now, I would like you to explain one question to a basketball-dummy since I am very curious about this. There are many legends in my country about Sabonis, how great he is, but I wonder if the two present-day NBA Lithuanians Motiejunas and Valanciunas the potential to become as good as he was? Who has higher ceiling ? I suppose they all play in (almost?) same positions and are easier to compare? I know that Sabonis was known for his hook shots, at least in Europe, just as Motiejunas now. So, could anybody share their thoughts?
I like Motiejunas and Valanciunas, but I don't think either has the potential to be as good as Sabonis was in his prime.
By the time he made it to the NBA, even after the injuries Sabonis was basically a bigger, slower Marc Gasol with 3pt range. I don't think either player is going to be even that good.
I don't think either will be that good. Especially Val. Val has taken two steps back and has shown no improvement. When he came over he was mobile and fast now he is big and can't move. He also gets tired after 20 minutes and can't stay on the court. He hasn't good anticipation on defence at all. I'm very dissapointed in him.
Yeah, I don't think either will be as good as the NBA's best version of Sabonis. Supposedly the pre-NBA Sabonis could have been a top 10 center of all-time but that's not something I have an informed opinion about.
Sabonis was arguably the best center in the world at his prime. His offense almost had no weakness. He was athletic. He was big. He could shoot from the 3pt line. But his greatest skill was his passing game. He passed like a point guard. Except for the handle, he was like a 7-ft Magic Johnson.
They won't get close. Motiejunas doesn't have the length, size, strength, balance or skills. Valanciunas is quite gifted physically, but he has tunnel vision, he's pretty mechanical. Sabonis isn't just known for hook shots, it's his passing, shooting range, quick decision making, size, strength (and athleticism before Achilles).
yeah sabonis, len bias, and a few others are the players that the nba never got to see in their prime or at all. earl the goat!!
I don't know if he ever reached top 10 center level either. Maybe. He had already lost much of his athleticism by the time he reached his peak in terms of skills in mid 90s. There's probably a bit of overhyping of Sabonis today. But hey, if he was born in the US, I bet he would've been the most hyped up prospect of the 80s.
This, it's what you hear from everyone that watched him or played against him. Freak of nature and most skilled big ever. I think no one will ever come close to him again.
Yeah because Sabonis is like 60 years old now. Sabo was an all time great - the other two are good NBA players, but not on par with Sabo. DD
The next great Lithuanian player also shares the same name Sabonis. His kid Domantas was a freshman this year at Gonzaga. Averaged nearly 10 points, 7 rebounds and a ridiculous 66% FG percentage. He's 6'10", already he's being projected as a top 15 pick by nbadraft.net in 2016.
