Domantas Sabonis, the Kings' All-NBA center and the NBA's rebounding champion, is playing through a left leg injury for Lithuania at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan.
The Lithuanian big man was receiving treatment in the left knee area prior to yesterday's game against Ivory Coast even starting, and received every time he was off the court by the Lithuanian medical staff.
Sabonis himself confirmed that he played through pain and that he doesn't know how that infornation got out of the locker room.
Domantas put up 22 PTS and 9 REB as Lithunia beat Ivory Coast 97-93, and advanced to the semi-finals where they will play the loser of the Italy and Puerto Rico matchup.
by TheMagicMan56
19 Comments
Players playing through injury only to get destroyed by USA, Serbia, France and Canada seems pointless
Seems like a good idea
If players play through injuries in the playoffs, no doubt international players will play through them during Olympic qualifying. Probably means more to them than the NBA.
hero of Lithuania
And, what’s the big deal? He played with broken thumb that needed surgery for more than half a season and in the Playoffs, a little leg injury ain’t going to stop him. Some people are just built different, he’s a brick wall.
Maaaaaan
For international players, winning Olympic gold/world championships is just as important, if not more important than winning a NBA title
Sabonis is a total beast, man. No injury can hold him back. Real inspiration for Lithuania
Sacramento risk management team in shambles right now. Bro what is you doing!?
Is it just the winner of this tourney who makes it to the Olympics are a few teams
Playing for your home>NBA every time in my opinion.
you don’t make it to the NBA if you sit every time you get injured.
“The Lithuanian big man was receiving treatment in the left knee area prior to yesterday’s game against Ivory Coast even starting, and received every time he was off the court by the Lithuanian medical staff.”
where does this part come from? source doesnt have it. is it completely made up? because I heard it is not knee at all
I know talent parity is not there yet but we need to stop treating competitions outside the nba as not so important. I am wishing for the day Olympics and Fiba championships are similar to Fifa for example.
Stop.
Playing hurt for international basketball isn’t worth the risk.
Former Thunder legend Domantas Sabonis.
Good luck sacremento
people got to understand: for international basketball players, bringing home a gold for your country is the pinnacle of basketball.
It is fucking devastating that this got out of hand