Sabonis leaving nba and joining zalgiris

[SineS]

Sabonis announces he'll play for Zalgiris next season
May 29, 2003

When Arvydas Sabonis visits home, the people of Kaunas, Lithuanian expect big things to happen, but none could have anticipated his announcement Thursday that he plans to leave the NBA and play next season for Zalgiris, the team he co-owns. "I have pondered well for a while, and now I can tell you the result:" Sabonis said in a speech to the Kaunas City Council. "...I have to help my dear 'Zalgiriukas' next season by playing on the team." Although he hasn't played a game for Zalgiris since 1989, Sabonis has come back to his original club twice before, during the NBA lockout of 1999 and in 2001-02, when an injury kept him idle. The return of the center many consider the best of his generation and the best ever in Europe comes just a week after Zalgiris reclaimed the Lithuanian League title. "The team was pretty good by the end of this season," Sabonis added. "If we add a couple of players next season we may be capable of doing great things in the Euroleague."