Vlade Divac offered one of the strongest endorsements of Arvydas Sabonis, stating that the Lithuanian legend would have belonged in the same tier as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird if his NBA career had started earlier and without injuries.
Speaking on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, Divac reflected on facing Sabonis as a teenager and witnessing his peak years up close.
“Don’t get me wrong, and people will probably talk about it. But in my mind, because I had the opportunity to play when he was 21, 22, and I was 18, like Scott said, when he was healthy, it was amazing.”
“I think if he came in at 21 without injury and became an NBA player, when they talk about Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, he would be in that category.”
He emphasized that Sabonis at age 21 or 22 was a completely different force compared to the version that eventually reached the NBA. By the time Sabonis joined the league in 1995 with the Portland Trail Blazers, he was already 30 years old and dealing with significant injuries, particularly to his Achilles and knees.
Despite that, Sabonis still carved out a highly productive NBA career. Over seven seasons, he averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting over 50% from the field. His best NBA season came in 1997-1998, when he averaged 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, proving he could still dominate stretches of games even with reduced mobility. He also earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 1996, an unusual feat for a player entering the league at 31.
The bigger case for Sabonis, and the reason Divac made such a bold claim, lies in his pre-NBA dominance. In Europe, Sabonis was widely considered the best player outside the United States throughout the 1980s.
Playing for Zalgiris Kaunas and later Real Madrid, he combined elite size at 7 feet 3 inches with guard-level passing, shooting touch, and basketball IQ. He averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds in multiple European seasons and led Zalgiris to three straight Soviet League titles from 1985 to 1987, breaking the long-standing dominance of CSKA Moscow.
Sabonis also dominated on the international stage. He led the Soviet Union to gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where they defeated Team USA in the semifinals. In that game, Sabonis put up 13 points and 13 rebounds while anchoring the defense against a roster that included future NBA stars like David Robinson and Mitch Richmond. His ability to control the paint and facilitate offense stood out, even against elite American talent.
After Lithuania gained independence, Sabonis continued his impact. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he led Lithuania to a bronze medal, averaging 23.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in the tournament. He repeated that feat in 1996, again leading Lithuania to bronze while showcasing his versatility as both a scorer and playmaker.
What separates Sabonis historically is how ahead of his time he was. He functioned as a stretch big before the concept became common, capable of hitting mid-range shots, passing out of the post, and running offense through the high post. Many modern centers, including players like Nikola Jokic, reflect elements of Sabonis’ style decades later.
Divac’s statement centers on a simple premise. The NBA never saw Sabonis at his physical peak. By the time he arrived, injuries had already taken away a large part of his athleticism. Even then, he remained highly effective. If that same player had entered the league in his early twenties, healthy and fully mobile, the conversation around all-time greats might look different today.
