I usually don’t post things like this, especially when it’s about one of my basketball idols, but this one is begging to be posted.  I was perusing the Sabonis Facebook fan page, and came across this awesome pic of Big Red, or to you mere mortals – Arvydas Sabonis.  It’s good to know that the more things change, the more they stay the same, and good ol’ Sabas still loves his alcohol.

Infamously missing from the 1992 Olympic medal ceremony, which featured the US Dream Team, Sabonis was reportedly too drunk from celebration to join team Lithuania

In this undated photo, the Lithuanian Legend is sharing a drink with a fan.  This photo, and the awesomeness of Sabonis, can be explained by the following excerpt from a 1995 New York Times article on Sabonis:

His car is American, his career has been Bohemian and his thirst is from another world. Arvydas Sabonis — recruited to the National Basketball Association by congressmen, senators, secretaries of state and the Portland Trail Blazers — finished his first two-a-day practice this month, perspired in Niagara Falls proportions and was asked if he required water.

“Beer,” he said.

Enough said, really. I am not a big fan of Beer, but even I get the extreme coolness emitted by that single word.  With players like Maun Ginbili, Chris Paul, and Rudy Fernandez capturing my imagination, I almost, almost sometimes forget how obsessed I was with Sabonis.  The guy was such a unique player.

For more rare photos of Arvydas Sabonis and others, check out our Have you seen this Pic? Thread in our forum

Links and Resources:  Have you Seen this Pic? v2.0 (Interbasket), Arvydas Sabonis, Lithuania Fan Page (Facebook),  Arvydas Sabonis website (Arvydas Sabonis.com), The Courtship of a Wayward Star: Sabonis (New York Times)