Film Festival Series: Domantas Sabonis
By Gideon Lim
Most of the time, our film festival episodes go through a player’s best and worst plays of the season. But for Domantas Sabonis, we decided to do it differently.
This season has been anything but straightforward for the rookie. It has been a season of figuring out where he stands in the league. So, our film festival will instead trace his transition into the big league.
Calm before the storm
At the peak of draft fever, Sabonis was most commonly compared to Greg Monroe. At Gonzaga, Sabonis was known primarily for his nifty post footwork.
Leading up to the draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report described Sabonis as such:
"Sabonis mostly plays with his back to the basket, and though he can make face-up shots off one foot, he isn’t a real threat to attack and create outside 12-15 feet."
That comparison may seem off now, but at that time, that was the consensus around the league. After all, in his two college years, Sabonis made a total of 5 three pointers. There was no indication of range from the rookie.
Scouts also raved about his knack for snaring rebounds.
"Rebounding will be his signature strength upon entering the league. He pulled down 14.8 boards per 40 minutes, showing textbook technique, a nose for the ball and a live motor inside. Loose balls seem to always find Sabonis, who boxes out, anticipates misses and scraps."
Since then, the tides have changed, each time revealing a different Sabonis to Thunder fans.