Fansided

What Is Dead May Never Die: NBA players who left too soon

By HP Basketball Network

Apr 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Tracy McGrady (1) on the court against the Los Angeles Lakers in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Tracy McGrady (1) on the court against the Los Angeles Lakers in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Blazer fans cheer during introductions in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Blazer fans cheer during introductions in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Arvydas Sabonis

by Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie)

Sure, we got to Arvydas Sabonis play in the NBA.

At the age of 31.

After he’d already been so injured that he could have qualified for his own handicapped parking spot.

Well past his prime and into his twilight years, Sabonis still put up incredible numbers on a per-minute basis. His career PER of 21.2 is in the top 20 all-time among players past their age 31 season. Oh, and his win shares per-48 are 10th all-time. Clearly, we got to see a high-level of play from the big Lithuanian in the NBA, which makes his inclusion on this list somewhat tangential to the topic at hand.

However, the numbers he put up in America pale in comparison to the player we were robbed of seeing due to the Cold War and subsequent injuries. By the time he crossed the Atlantic and joined the Blazers, he had already developed arthritis in his feet and suffered a torn achilles. This, in conjunction with the infamous Soviet training regimen and his even more notorious drinking habits, sapped much of the athleticism that was immediately evident during his play in the Soviet Union. In his prime, Sabonis had a very real argument as the best player in the world — a 7-foot-3 monster that could run the floor, block shots, shoot the three, and pass the ball with the precision and touch of a man a foot shorter. In fact, it would probably be fair to say that his skills far ahead of his own time. If more people were aware of the skillset Sabonis possessed in Europe, we could be discussing today whether or not we believe Anthony Davis is going to turn into the next Sabonis as opposed to the next Garnett.

Watching him play even in his later years was a joy that few players can replicate today. Even though he really struggled to move, Sabonis dominated half-court play in a way that few could. Palming the basketball away from his body like a tennis ball, Sabonis would throw no-look bounce passes to the rim, short hook passes that dropped directly into his teammates’ laps, and nonchalant behind-the-back beauties that no one else on the floor could even see. And the best part was that he did everything with a sense of flair and gusto that is too often absent from the wonderful game we watch every night.

Sabonis was one of those rare talents who dominated with grace and style. I just wish we would have had the chance to consistently see the transcendent brilliance that lives on through anecdotes and YouTube highlights.

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