Sandis Valters
A sharpshooting guard who carried Latvia's basketball hopes for a generation, famed for his deep-range bombs and clutch performances.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Latvian basketball player·Birthday: August 31·Generation X
Biography
Sandis Valters grew up with basketball in his blood, the son of Soviet-era star Valdis Valters. He carved his own path as a lethal scorer from the perimeter, becoming the offensive engine for the Latvian national team for well over a decade. His professional journey took him across Europe, with notable stops in Spain, Russia, and Turkey, where his quick release and fearlessness in big moments made him a constant threat. Valters was the guy you didn't leave open on the wing, a fact he proved repeatedly in EuroBasket tournaments, where he often ranked among the top scorers. While he never secured an NBA contract, his legacy is cemented as one of Latvia's most potent offensive weapons, a player who could single-handedly change the momentum of a game with a flurry of three-pointers.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Sandis was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sandis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Sandis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented Latvia in four EuroBasket tournaments (2001, 2005, 2007, 2009), often as a leading scorer.
- Won the Latvian League championship with BK Ventspils in 2006.
- Played professionally in top European leagues including Spain's ACB and Russia's PBL.
- Finished his career as one of the all-time leading scorers for the Latvian national team.
Did You Know?
His father, Valdis Valters, won a gold medal with the Soviet Union at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
His younger brother, Kristaps Valters, also played professionally for the Latvian national team.
He once scored 41 points in a EuroBasket 2007 game against Croatia.
He played college basketball for the University of Rhode Island before turning professional in Europe.
“My father gave me the game, but I had to find my own shot.”
