Underated? Definetelly. Zero autographs? Why?

[Requiemx]

Arvydas Sabonis. I understand that he didn't enter the NBA until he was 30 years of age, and was certainly past his prime at that time. But many would argue that he was one of the best big-men world wide at a time. Even after entering the NBA and playing for Portland at his declining age, he really was an asset and strong player to the team.

Remember that phrase, "team".

His NBA career wasn't as long as many would have liked it to be, but for the six seasons he did put in, he was great and would have been much more worth while collecting an auto of then some of the duds I've opened packs and saw ink of.

Back to the phrase, "team". Teams win, while players help the team win. It wasn't always about his stats, he was the glue that cemented the model together. The guy that could pass the ball, set the screen and make a play happen. He was a point guard in a centers body and would put his team before scoring and individual accomplishment, and that made him the remembered player that he is today, at the least here in Portland.

So where are his autographs? I could be wrong, and hope that I am, but from the frequent scouting I have done over the past several years, I can never seem to find anything official of him from companies like Upper Deck, Topps, Fleer, Skybox, Hoops, etc.

So let's say that there are one or two autographs of existence of him out there, I'd really like to see companies like UD, Panini and Topps start having him ink more because I know they would be affordable and most welcomed to my collection!

Just my thoughts of the day.

Christopher J.

[nightbreedbeats]

Ha, I remember the guy because I was a huge Damon Stoudemire fan being from Arizona. Sabonis was a solid center but never really a "Star" type player.
The NBA is really a star driven sport and unfortunately a bunch of solid players always seem to get overlooked.

I would love to get a Elliot "Socks" Perry AUTO but they are nearly impossible to find even though Im sure Skybox AUTOgrafix made one.

That reminds me, I swear I saw a Skybox AUTOgrafix from Sabonis also from around 1999-2000.
Also, one from UD in like "Greats Of The Game" or something like that.
To find out for sure I would get his complete card listing from Beckett.

[Requiemx]

Good thinking on the complete card listing, I'll for sure be checking that out and thank you!

The other thing about Sabonis is that he truely made other point guards better as players. Rod Strickland had been quoted once before saying that Arvydas was the best big man he'd ever played with. This was coming from a guy who had played with David Robinson and Chris Webber. Kenny Anderson, also a decent point, had his best season of his career when playing alongside Sabonis.

Overall, it's certainly true that many solid players get overlooked in the NBA if they aren't holding scoring titles, MVP titles, etc. But it just seems it's always the guys that don't hold those titles that can really be the big hidden factor in a teams success.

Arvydas was a great example of that.

Anyways thanks again.

Christopher J.

[garyg21]

Requiemx... I have a ton of his cards if interested in starting a collection

[MatthewLee]

The guy was amazing, one of the very best in my opinion and definitely on my 'Top 10' players list.
I followed him extensively up in Portland, along with Augmon of course.

Sadly no auto's and very few parallels though you're right...
Hard to imagine since everyone and their mother had one for Autographics.

SABAS!!!

[Requiemx]

I appreciate that Gary21 but I was more hoping for an autograph at the least of him, if not a patch, but it looks like I couldn't find anything of him unfortunatelly.

And no kidding MathewLee, I can't even think of a player in the 96-98 era who didn't have an autographics card, aside from Sabas.. lol.

[SHoCKBiZZLE]

calling him "solid" is an understatement. in his prime he was top 5 in the world.

[whalechaser]

calling him "solid" is an understatement. in his prime he was top 5 in the world.

I couldn't agree more with that statement. I wish they did have an auto of him though. .. too bad.

[Requiemx]

Watching him live, as I had the honor to do, back in the mid to late 90's was a real treat. If anyone does happen to find an autograph of him in existance, please let me know as he is one of my favorite all-time Blazers.

He was like watching what the definition of a team player at the center position should be.

To anyone who didn't pay close attention to him, which I wouldn't blame you because the media swept him under the rug and gives the likes of Kwame Brown more coverage, he really was one of the best centers to play the game in terms of an all-around player and not just based off of stats.

[Outlander]

Arvydas Sabonis..... i love this guy...