4 months.
It’s been 4 straight months in which Domantas Sabonis has registered a double-double in every single game. The last time Domas didn’t have a double-double was November 29th, 2023, in an 11 points, 5 rebound, 3 assist outing that seems implausible now.
Sabonis is up to 57 straight double-doubles. He also has a league-leading 26 triple-doubles. And Domas reached another milestone this season:
Players with 1000+ rebounds, 600+ assists in a season:
Domantas Sabonis 2023-24
Wilt Chamberlain 1967-68
Chamberlain 1966-67— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) April 1, 2024
The sheer number of categories that Sabonis leads or is among the league leaders for is simply amazing.
Domantas Sabonis’ place among NBA leaders:
Double-Doubles: 70 (1st)
Triple-Doubles: 26 (1st)
Rebounds: 1,007 (1st)
Reb/game: 13.6 (1st)
Win Shares: 11.4 (4th)
Assists: 615 (4th)
Ast/game: 8.3 (5th)
Field Goal percentage: 60% (8th)19.6 PTS | 13.6 REB | 8.3 AST | 74 games pic.twitter.com/Bxtgv0wm9c
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) April 1, 2024
Watching Sabonis this season has been a bright spot in a season full of ups and downs. Through it all you know you can rely on Domas to gobble up rebounds, dish the ball to teammates for open looks, quietly amass his own scoring stats, and take a couple concussing blows to the head each night.
Sabonis is the consistent engine that drives the Kings. He’s become so reliable that we sometimes even forget to mention him in recaps. The double-doubles feel like a given. But I never want to take them for granted. What we’re watching this season is truly special, and we’re lucky to witness it.
And that’s no (April fools) joke!
Domas has clearly established himself as a “big 3” caliber player that could make a team elite and is incredibly underrated. Fox is borderline IMO. I feel like he could be, and has been in stretches, but he’s not been reliable enough as the season has worn on. Hopefully he finds that gear again. The Kings are searching for that third piece. They’ve been trying to fill it by committee with Barnes, Keegan, and Monk with some success. With Monk out, and I think Barnes on the other side of his prime, we’re going to figure out how close Keegan is to being “that guy” as he’ll presumably be asked to fill a bigger role.
I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by the player development with Keon Ellis and Kessler has looked solid (small sample), which gives me hope that the bench won’t be a disaster even with the long term absences of Red Velvet and Monk.
While it’s hard to have so many changes in a critical part of the season, I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out.
Well said.
Domas is the most under rated star player in the NBA and maybe it’s most durable and hard working . In 40 years fans will look back and tell their kids about watching this gladiator in action .
In 40 years we’ll all be on the moon, sipping coconut water by a pool filled with water that floats whenever the dome undergoes its weekly depressurization maintenance. Good luck explaining gravity to those kids, who can do quintuple-backflip dunks at will, much less the consistent underrated stardom of Domantas Sabonis.
Who’s an all NBA player that didn’t make the all star team?
Sabonis, Domas.
There are going to be some angry individuals around here if big fella gets snubbed from the end of the year awards.
and yet, it would be a surprise, but not a great one, though ridiculous.
I figure he’ll at least be on one of the All-NBA teams.
For me, one of the most endearing quality of a professional athlete is intensity. Domantas Sabonis is one of those guys. Every second he is on the court, he is working his butt off. I would be willing to bet that if you asked Domas about his talents, his skills, he would humbly dismiss his achievements. And he could do so in at least 3 languages, being fluent in Lithuanian, Spanish and English.
And as this article applauds – that shouldn’t be the case. He is a role model for this team and the League. Is his game pretty? Heck no. His finesse (assists and shooting are finesse skills, IMO) is evident but overshadowed by his brute determination. He plays to win. He is an ultimate team guy. He has the stats but doesn’t chase them, he earns them.
And let’s also take note that this guy, who played 79 games last season, with a broken thumb for 70+ games, is putting his body on the line every darn night. One of the stats that isn’t listed here (and could/should be) is that on a minutes per game basis Sabonis is 10th and Fox is 11th. That is only part of the story: Sabonis is 3rd in minutes played this season (behind DeMar DeRozan, then Mikal Bridges).
Lastly, and I apologize for interjecting some disappointment – but Domantas Sabonis was available in the 2016 NBA Draft; The Kings had the 8th pick (remember Buddy Heild was 6th by NOP) and traded that to Phoenix, who chose Marquese Chris (oy vay) followed by Jakob Poeltl, then Thon Maker and then Domas at the 11 spot. Two selections later was #13 and none other than Giorgios Papagiannis was selected by GM Vlade Divac. (don’t forget Malachi Richardson and Skal Labiessiere). Sigh.
When his playing days are over – not for a long while I hope – it is easy to imagine Sabonis as “the best” Center, the franchise has ever had. Sam Lacey, Vlade Divac, Boogie Cousins, Domantas Sabonis come to mind for me and Domas has surpassed some on this list already. IMO.
Sam Lacey!
You are my hero Upgraded.
I met Sam Lacey (I was in my early teens), a true gentleman. His #44 is in the Golden1 rafters, the jersey number franchise retired, along with the other big man up there, #21 of Vlade Divac.
It’s not too far a stretch – given his current pace, and adding at least the 4 more seasons he’s signed on for, if not more, that Domas will hold many franchise records and his #10 will hang in deserved tribute (not Mike Bibby – though I bet my Bibby (jersey) that he won’t shout about it like Carmelo and the Nuggets, and the current #15, Nikola Jokic. I digress).
In just two+ seasons with the Kings, this franchise and this team are in a delightful turnaround after the many years of ugliness and disappointment.
Domas has many more beams to light
The Kings, née Royals, drafted Slammin’ Sam Lacey and Nate, The Skate Archibald, in the same year in the 1970 draft. Sam was the 5th pick in the 1st round and Tiny was 19th overall in the 2nd Round.
Kings could use a draft like that one in the off-season.
Sam Lacey is a player I often think would fit so well in today’s game. His length and athleticism, his defensive skills, his ability to pass from the high post, I often think Bam Adebayo is a modern version of him. I really enjoyed those Kings teams he was on, even though Scott Wedman was on that squad.
Otis Birdsong, Phil Ford, Reggie King, the legendary Bill Robinzine, Joe Meriweather, an all time great dunker in Darnell Hillman. Even as a kid I loved mediocre teams trying to make the next step. Eddie Johnson, one of my all time favorites started in KC.
I remember them all. Thank you for the memories. Sam Lacey led the Kings from a Fifth seed to the Western Conference Finals against Moses Malone.
Michael, what ever happened to Phil Ford?
I was talking to a workmate today about how Arvidas would have fared in today’s NBA, with the advances in medical care and training and not being impeded from participating by the Cold War politics of his day. Domas certainly is carrying on the family legend.
That man was a beast of an athlete that was diminished before the NBA allowed him in. People in the NBA who played against him in his prime internationally say he was the greatest player they ever played.
This is copied from a post I made about his father right after Domas arrived in Sac:
By the time his dad arrived in Portland he was over 30 and already had multiple major injuries and surgeries. The Portland team doctor said when he arrived “that Arvydas could qualify for a handicapped parking spot, based on the X-ray alone.”
I saw footage of him when we was younger and lighter. As a comparison, think of Jokic or Domas for style of play/skills while being 7′-3″ and could run and was more athletic than either of them.
This is him in the Olympics against HOFer David Robinson. That USA team also had Mitch Richmond. He beat them and won gold. He was already somewhat injured at this time. This loss by the USA team is what led to the creation of the Dream Team concept.
Pre-injuries Arvydas was going to be an all time great.
Domas Sabonis has had a season for the ages this year, one I’ll remember for a long time not only for the man who now owns the record, but also for the man whose record he broke, and for the friendship that led to my introduction to the Kings NBA franchise.
The evening Domas tied Jerry Lucas’s record for Double Doubles I called my Uncle Larry in Middletown, Ohio. He and Jerry were childhood and high school friends who have stayed in close touch over the years. It is not uncommon for them to talk on the phone twice a week.
Jerry was the origin my following the Sacramento Kings, Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City/Omaha Kings and the Cincinnati Royals. Jerry would leave tickets at the Cincinnati Gardens Will Call window for my Dad, Larry and my younger sister Ann. There are pictures in our family albums of me and my Dad and sis with Jerry, Oscar Robertson and a retired Jack Twyman after a Royals game. I had no idea who I was having a Polaroid snap shot taken with, but I learned.
I brought Uncle Larry up to speed on Domas, and his father Arvaydis, and Domas’ spectacular season and asked him to pass along to Jerry that he would be proud of the way Domas plays and that he had a very good chance of breaking Jerry’s record. I talked with Larry about how fans now stay in touch on the smallest of details about NBA teams, and their favorite players, from all over the world, and about the TKH website.
I got a call from Larry the next day before the Kings game and Larry had talked to Jerry who was happy to hear about Domas breaking his record, that he had heard about Domas play this season on ESPN during several broadcasts during the season. Jerry told Larry to pass along to Kings fans not to give up on the team and to enjoy the physical artistry of current NBA players.
There are quite a few players from past NBA eras that could play in todays game. I am convinced that Jerry is one of those who would actually excel and may be exactly the type of player the Kings are looking for this upcoming off season. He could play the low post, as well as shoot deep from the corner, rebound and play with finesse or physicality.
I am also convinced that Domas will be remembered, as Upgraded noted in his earlier post, as one of the better 5’s to ever play for the Kings and the franchise.
What. A. Season. By. Domas.
I have enjoyed every minute of it.
I started out a Knicks fan – it was the ’69-’70 Championship squad for me, and then Jerry Lucas became a Knick. They won a championship trophy again in ’72-’73 with Lucas on the squad.
Apologies, as I am off subject, but Jerry Lucas is a remarkable individual with his Phone Book fame and Memory Book authorship, he had an amazing career at all levels of basketball – college, Olympics and NBA. I remember his unique hip level catapult style jump shot. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer and a 75th Anniversary All Time NBA Team member.
Thanks for a great share, HoustonJP.
My pleasure.
Jerry played center after Willis was injured and out for the season in 72 and the Knicks won the championship playing small.
So, I guess you’re a Kings fan. 😉
Great story.
Thanks for passing it along.
I don’t have stories like that. The only pro-ball-player-related story that happened to me came when I worked as a teenager at Marine World Africa/USA in the Bay Area and recognized Mike Moore, a starting pitcher for Oakland at the time, at the Guest Relations window. I knew that my nana loved the A’s, and so I asked him for an autograph on her behalf. He politely agreed, addressed a piece of paper to her and wrote, “God’s Best,” after which he signed his name.
I read his note and thought, He thinks he’s God’s best? Boy is that guy full of himself.
Later, my parents let me know that he was just wishing my nana well.
It has been a great journey following the team.
This is just all sorts of awesome. Thank you so much for sharing, JP.
You’re welcome.
Both men are humble, and fierce competitors. They can play on my team.
What a fantastic anecdote, thank you for sharing JP. Excellent commentary as well.
You’re quite welcome Michael.
I am preparing a glass of “Hopium” for tonight’s game. Let’s keep the pressure on.
Phenomenal story and family history. Was surprised to see you posting here as I was thinking your 4th shot of “Hopium” might keep you under covers for most of the day. I always appreciate your comments and this story just raises the bar. Thanks.
He is indestructible, so consistent and brings tireless effort;Domas is a cyborg.
Who consistently gets punched in the mouth and receives no respect from the refs?
Domas.
But did we win the trade?!?!??!?!?
/s
At worse, it was a win for both teams. But I think the Kings were able to let Fox flourish without Tyrese next to him, and we got Sabonis to be the first/second distributor (and warrior) on the team. It was a bit like trading Corliss for Christie. We got a great team defender with toughness and Corliss moving on opened the door for Peja. Something like a two for one.
Yep. And got rid of some bad contracts to boot.
Not only that but he’s a good dude (along with Fox).
I have to think all those prayers I made while watching Cousins destroy this franchise were actually answered.
Some people have been slow in recognizing him as conclusively and far away the teams best player
he’s had a better impact than Tyrese so far, so we haven’t lost the trade yet
kings pre and post Sabonis = best King maybe of Sacramento era. Webber had a lot of help. Domas not much help besides Fox’s up and down inefficient year, Keegan’s lack of strong offense and Monk.
I find myself constantly checking the box score to see where Domas is with points and rebounds. I bet he has had a lot of 8/9 assist games, too. I’m over the “trade” debate. It’s done and I’m glad we have Sabonis. We’d be 7-8 games worse in our record if we hadn’t. Two alpha PGs wasn’t working here. And I really liked Tyrese.
Badge Legend