Don’t call it a comeback…
Instead chalk this practice footage of Arvydas Sabonis with the Lithuanian National team up to him investing in the future of Lithuanian basketball as the president of Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF).
No more suit and tie and press conferences.
The big man is back on the floor where he belongs, putting guys like the Toronto Raptors young prospect, Jonas Valanciunas and NBA and Euro vet Darius Songaila through a workout as they make at run at the 2012 London Olympics.
The Basketball Hall of Fame center joined the Lithuanian National team in Houston yesterday as they undergo training camp and compete in some friendly games with the Great Britain and Russian National teams before they travel to Venezuela for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Sabonis said shortly after being named LKF president last fall that he is dedicated to the promotion of the team and game in Lithuania and the former center for the Portland Trail Blazers has certainly walked the talk.
However after his recent health troubles, it is just good to see him looking like the old Sabas.
Not long after the 2011 European Championship (EuroBasket) in Lithuania, Sabonis was playing in a pick-up basketball game when he started feeling light-headed. He was taken to an area hospital in Kaunas and was told he had suffered a heart attack.
After two weeks of monitoring, he was released but the health scare came with some warning signs.
“The doctors told me, ‘You can’t smoke, you can’t drink, you can’t play basketball. So of the things I like, only sex is left,” the 7-foot-3 Sabonis joked soon after his release in early October of last year.
Apparently the nine month absence from the court was just what the doctor ordered — or maybe not.
This is the second time this week that the 47-year old Sabonis has been in the news — or at least the news around Lithuania, as Sabas was photographed at a military base popping off a view rounds with a machine gun.
Once again, Sabas proves he can shoot from outside.
And keep up with the young Lithuanian guys in practice too.
