Arvydas Sabonis rookie card

majorflux · August 27, 2009 10:08AM

Which is the best rookie card for the former Portland Trailblazer great Arvydas Sabonis?

You think he has a shot at HOF induction?

Davemri · August 27, 2009 10:35AM

Definate HOF'er IMO. One of the best international players of all time.

His first/most valuable card is the 1985 Spanish Merchante card seen below. The card that will probably be used in the HOF set is a 1995 SP.

Dave

thunderdan · August 27, 2009 10:37AM

He's not your vydas...he's Arvydas. I still remember Craig K on ESPN always saying that. Always good for a chuckle.

Allen · August 27, 2009 10:40AM

Since it is the basketball HOF and not the NBA HOF, then yeah he gets in. It is a shame he did not come to the NBA earlier.

TNP777 · August 27, 2009 11:23AM

<< <i>He's not your vydas, he's not my vydas, he's Arvydas. I still remember Craig K on ESPN always saying that. Always good for a chuckle. >>

Fixed it for you, Dan. I don't remember anything else Kilborn has ever said, but the night he dropped that line I had a good belly laugh. For the rest of my life, any time I hear Sabonis' name, I'll instantly recall that quote. Funny how silly things like that stick with you.

867-5309

<< <i>Since it is the basketball HOF and not the NBA HOF, then yeah he gets in. It is a shame he did not come to the NBA earlier. >>

As a Blazer fan, I sure do agree with that statement. Because of the '77 championship team, Bill Walton will always have a soft spot in my heart. However, when he opens his mouth, I generally want to change the channel or at the least mute the TV. However, he got this one right in describing Sabonis "as "the greatest passing center of all time". He really did have a great touch with the ball and seemed to do all the little things right. Even at the late stage he arrived in the League, he was very fun to watch.

thunderdan · August 27, 2009 11:36AM

Thanks for the correction, Geordie. I guess I can also still laugh at myself.

gregmo32 · August 27, 2009 12:03PM

Awesome player. I remember reading a Sport Illustrated article about him in 1985(?) with Rickey Henderson on the cover. It described him and his game in glowing terms. One of the US coaches who saw him called him a "seven foot three Larry Bird."

Back then he also had great athletic ability. He would have been one of the all time NBA greats if it weren't for the damn Cold War.

CDsNuts · August 27, 2009 12:22PM

Definate HOF'er IMO. One of the best international players of all time. His first/most valuable card is the 1985 Spanish Merchante card seen below. The card that will probably be used in the HOF set is a 1995 SP.

Those Merchante cards are so freakin cool. I just bought a David Robinson 1986 (his first card ever) from the US Olympic team. They also have pre-NBA cards of Schrempf, Petrovic and Bogues, as well as cards of Jordan, Bird, and all the rest.

Dave, do you have any idea how they were distributed? I know they were cut off of something and my best guess is a Converse shoe box, but I also have an Olajuwon sticker (they horribly misspelled his name) so I'm thinking I'm wrong about the shoebox theory. Can't seem to find any info on them on the web.

Davemri · August 27, 2009 8:20PM

PSA labels them as hand cut, But I have owned probably 50 or so different one's and they are all the same exact size. I seriously doubt they are hand cut. That being said, I have no idea how they were distributed, only know they were issued in Spain.
I currently have an 85 Jordan that I will try to get graded. PSA has graded quite a few 86's (most of them are mine) but have not graded an 85 yet. (to my knowledge)

Dave

saucywombat · August 28, 2009 3:38AM

Sabonis was the man! If he had come up in the NBA probably Top 5 Center of all time.

GOODLIEU · August 28, 2009 2:14PM

SidePocket · August 28, 2009 2:24PM

Are you serious? HOF? If that happens I'll never watch another NBA game. Get real>

Allen · August 28, 2009 2:31PM

<< <i>Are you serious? HOF? If that happens I'll never watch another NBA game. Get real> >>

Do you understand that it is the basketball HOF and not the NBA HOF?

SidePocket · August 28, 2009 2:34PM

No I don't understand that.

SidePocket · August 28, 2009 2:36PM

Ralph Sampson also belongs.

GOODLIEU · August 28, 2009 2:48PM

The Basketball HOF inducts Male and Female players from the NBA, College, International Teams and other Pre NBA Pro leagues. Sabonis was a legendary player in Europe way before he entered the NBA.

Žalgiris (1981-87, 1988-89, 2001-02, 2003-05)
TEKA Moscu (1987-88)
CB Valladolid (1989-92)
Real Madrid (1992-95)
Portland Trail Blazers (1995-2001, 2002-03)

Career NBA stats Was rookie at 31yrs old
Points 5,629
Points Per Game 12.0
Rebounds Per Game 7.3
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1999 European Player of the Year
1985, 1997 Mr. Europa Player of the Year
1985 European Championship MVP
1993, 1994 Spanish League Finals MVP
1994, 1995 Spanish League MVP
1995 Euroleague Final Four MVP
NBA Player of the Week for the week ending March 31, 1996
NBA Rookie of the Month for April, 1996
1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team
2004 Euroleague Regular Season MVP
2004 Euroleague Top 16 MVP
2004 All-Euroleague First Team
2008 35 Greatest Euroleague

SidePocket · August 28, 2009 2:56PM

When 12 pgg and 8 rpg is HOF, then I'll start playing.

Allen · August 28, 2009 3:44PM

Those are his NBA averages. Stop trying to save face and just admit that you don't KWTFYATA.

thunderdan · August 28, 2009 4:14PM

lol

majorflux · August 28, 2009 4:17PM

7' 3'' version of Larry Bird, that's pretty high compliment ...then again I only saw the old broken down Sabonis, too bad he didn't come earlier

Arvydas Sabonis rookie card

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