Domantas Sabonis
A skilled and relentless big man who carved out his own All-Star legacy, stepping out from the shadow of his Hall of Fame father.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Lithuanian-American basketball player·Birthday: May 3·Millennials
Biography
Domantas Sabonis entered the NBA carrying a famous surname and the inevitable comparisons to his father, Lithuanian center Arvydas Sabonis. Rather than replicate his father's game, the younger Sabonis forged his own path as a modern, high-IQ force. Traded from Oklahoma City to Indiana, he blossomed into a double-double machine, earning two All-Star selections with a blend of deft passing, crafty post moves, and relentless rebounding. A subsequent trade to Sacramento unlocked his full potential as an offensive hub. From the elbow, he orchestrates the offense and consistently leads the league in rebounds. Sabonis plays with a quiet, physical fury, proving that greatness can be inherited but must be earned through a distinct and impactful style.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Domantas was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Domantas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Domantas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has been named to the NBA All-Star team three times (2020, 2021, 2023).
- Led the entire NBA in total rebounds and rebounds per game for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
- Recorded a historic streak of double-doubles, the longest in the NBA since the 1970s.
- Earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2023.
Did You Know?
He was born in Portland, Oregon, while his father was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.
He played one year of college basketball for Gonzaga University.
He holds dual citizenship in Lithuania and the United States.
He and his father, Arvydas, are the only father-son duo to both win the NBA rebounding title.
“I'm not trying to be my dad. I'm trying to be the best version of myself.”
