Celtics Draft Profile: Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis is an often overlooked prospect for the upcoming 2016 NBA Draft. But make no mistake: The kid has one of the biggest skill sets in the draft.
That probably doesn’t ring a bell, unless you are a Gonzaga Bulldogs fan. Sabonis was the driving force behind the Bulldogs improbable run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament this year. While he is an overlooked prospect, make no mistake: The kid has one of the biggest skill sets in the upcoming NBA Draft.
The Lithuanian-American, who has a large stature at 6’10”, as well as having his father, Arvydas Sabonis, who played in the NBA for parts of eight seasons, played for the Spanish basketball club Unicaja Malaga’s junior and senior teams before refusing a three-year contract from Unicaja to play at Gonzaga prior to the 2014-2015 NCAA season.
Sabonis came in last season for Gonzaga and immediately made an impact. The big man averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds as well as 0.9 assists per game, becoming one of the biggest contributors for the Bulldog team that reached the Elite 8 in last year’s tournament. He showed his potential and the impact of his presence on the court last season, and brought that into this season. Sabonis became one of the most productive big men in the NCAA this season, averaging a double-double with 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game to go along with that.
Sabonis was a highly productive scorer in the post throughout his college career, which draws teams attention for what seems to become more rare as the game changes and time goes on, as well as his tendencies to drive inside and cause traffic, which can lead to scoring opportunities for his teammates, which is something any NBA team can use.
Several things that have been flagged on Sabonis, though, is his length and athleticism. While his length can help him with his offensive game as well as rebounding, it limits his potential on defense. Sabonis was never really a defensive talent for Gonzaga in any imagination of the mind, and that seems to lower his ceiling. His shooting game isn’t top notch either, and with how the game as a whole is shifting, that lack of a trait may scare some teams.
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Nonetheless, Sabonis is one player that would be considered a safe pick for any team, especially the Celtics with their need of another big man. While some of the aspects of his game may be lacking, he is a well-rounded prospect that brings a lot to the table and if issues such as parts of his defense can be ironed out and altered efficiently, Sabonis has the chance to become one of the best young talents in the game.