Domas Sabonis ready to test NBA waters

VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - Young Lithuania international Domantas Sabonis has decided to pass on his remaining two years of eligibility with the Gonzaga Bulldogs and to declare for the NBA Draft.

The son of a legend, Arvydas Sabonis, and a former player at Unicaja Malaga in Spain's top flight, 'Domas' will soon discover if playing for the Zags enhanced his chances of following in his dad's footsteps and making an NBA roster. I think he has.

The 19-year-old will be selected in June's draft. The 2.11m Sabonis should be snapped up in the first round, although the draft does throw up surprises every year.

So where is Sabonis, who turns 20 next month, in his basketball development? He was terrific for the Zags, averaging 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor and 77 percent at the foul line.

He is fundamentally sound. He's smart. He can get better, of course, but so can all the others heading into the draft. NBA general managers and coaches will like that he was a second team Academic All-American. They will be impressed that he can have a conversation in Lithuanian, Spanish or English. They will like that he has already played at a high level in Europe with Unicaja Malaga.

Some wondered if he was doing the right thing by leaving European basketball a couple of years ago. He got a ringing endorsement at the time from his Unicaja coach, Joan Plaza, who was frustrated by the youngster's departure but nevertheless supportive. His coach the past couple of years, Mark Few, has also showered him with praise.

[Domantas] is as impressive of a person and player as I've ever coached. He has an insatiable desire to get better. - Few

Sabonis loved his two years at Gonzaga. Sometimes leaving Europe for the States works, and sometimes it doesn't. Czech international Jiri Zidek, or George as he is known in America, parlayed a successful four years with a powerhouse UCLA program that he helped capture an NCAA crown in 1995 into a successful pro career. He started with the Charlotte Hornets as a first round selection and finished his playing career several years later in Europe.

Many of Sabonis's compatriots have lived the college experience. Lithuania internationals Arturas Karnisovas (Seton Hall), Sarunas Jasikevicius (Maryland), Darius Songaila (Wake Forest), Linas Kleiza (Missouri) and Martynas Pocius (Duke) are five that come to mind.

Some have had a better time than others. Karnisovas made plenty of headlines while playing for four years under PJ Carlesimo. Karnisovas arrived in New Jersey not knowing English but he learned the language and thrived as a basketball player. A couple of years after leaving the Pirates, Karnisovas averaged more than 15 points per game while helping his country win a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics.

Songaila was still at Wake Forest when he played for Lithuania at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and provided the Baltic country with a much-needed low-post presence. He was every bit as fierce as his USA counterparts. He didn't back down at all against Alonzo Mourning or any of the other American bigs. Songaila went on to play for a long time in the NBA.

Domas Sabonis wanted to experience the college game and he has. Anyone that watched Villanova beat North Carolina in the NCAA Final with a last-second, buzzer-beating 3-pointer on Monday night will know why the college game is so attractive to aspiring players in Europe. There were 74,340 spectators at that game in Houston, one that has been hailed by many as the greatest Final of all time. It's easy to see why Sabonis wanted to play the game there.

He experienced the Elite Eight as a freshman in the NCAA Tournament and the Sweet 16 this year. Duke, led by USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, ended the Zags' tourney run last year and USA assistant Jim Boeheim and his Syracuse team sent the Bulldogs home early in 2016.

Will we see the young Sabonis in Brazil this summer? He played for Lithuania at EuroBasket 2015 in Riga and then Lille and helped his team qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Sabonis (LTU) was a teammate of Jonas Valanciunas (LTU) at EuroBasket 2015

Despite many of the distractions that come with turning professional, from signing a contract to competing in a summer league, one would guess that he'll be in the squad coached by Jonas Kazlauskas that plays at the Olympics.

For now, he has a couple of years with the Zags to reflect on. He's had a great time soaking up the college atmosphere and competing against terrific players.

This has been a very difficult decision for me because of the amazing two years I have had at Gonzaga. I want to thank the coaching staff, my teammates, and all of our great fans for making this such an incredible experience for me. - Domas Sabonis

Jeff Taylor

FIBA