Nikola Jokic x Arvydas Sabonis

Music: Tommy Guerrero - White Sands
Guest mix by Darren Barker (‪@bhoodstudios‬)

[@omegaman9988]

Sabonas was 31 and dang near 300 lbs when he finally came to the league. I used to love watching him play. Those old Trailblazer teams were dangerous af.

[@boksugoks9312]

For real, unfortunately nobody talks about them being heavy contenders and nearly beating the Lakers in 2000 because the succeeding years they got into all sorts of turmoil and were mocked as the Jailblazers

[@ivanmunoz9516]

Fo sho

[@8301TheJMan]

The other reason was cuz their effin GM repeatedly dismantled those teams. After 99, we got to the conference championship and appeared to be on the verge of something special. They were, and still are in my book, the deepest teams in league history that year! They had prime Isaiah Rider, Damon Staudamire, and Rasheed Wallace - to go with a slew of guys who weren't stars or anything, but would've been averaging close to 20 a game if they hadn't all been on the same team, with Jimmy Jackson, Walt Williams, Stacy Augmon, Sabonis, and Brian Grant, along with other good role players like Greg Anthony, Calvin Cato, and a young Bonzi Wells and Jermaine O'Neal! But then, because Rider was a bit of a headcase, they stupidly traded both him and Jackson for an over-the-hill one-dimensional shooter in Steve Smith, and then a bunch of guys to bring into another old past-his-prime Scottie Pippen. Then after that he traded Jermaine O'Neal for an old Dale Davis as well as signing old Detlef Schrempf. Basically took a team that woulda been contenders for four or five more seasons possibly, in exchange for a team that would only be legit contenders for a max two or so more seasons! And that's exactly what happened, sadly

[@omegaman9988]

@@8301TheJMan I wasn't watching them as close during that time even though it's coming back to me now.youre right. My main NBA watching days were from around '86 to '98...pretty much after MJ retired, even though I kept up with as much as I could because by that time I was starting a family and all that good jazz lol. Good stuff tho👍. Glad you shared. I just remember Sabonis showed the same flare as Luka & Joker do today, except he was too old & slow to do a whole lot of damage in the NBA. I loved watching him play though.

[@8301TheJMan]

@@omegaman9988 It is certainly scary how similar he is to the Joker. When talking about how Portland's GM Whinslet dismantled a better all around team following the 1999 season, it don't wanna make it out to be like the 2000 and 20001 Portland teams weren't good - cuz they were! Great in fact, especially because with the likes of Walt Williams, Jimmy Jackson, Stacy Augmon, and Rider being traded away, it allowed Bonzi to step in and blossom into a great player in his own right. Plus they added Ruben Patterson, who was an excellent defender, a very good slasher, while also great at posting up other wings. However Augmon was every bit as good of a defender, while being certainly no longer in his prime - was still more athletic, quicker and more explosive, while being much longer to boot. Plus offensively, Patterson wasn't good shooter and was the same for Stacy, however Stacy had a deadly mid-range jumper and post game. All while being significantly better at driving to the hoop and finishing. So it's true that those two guys blossomed into pretty damn good players, and along side Pippen, Schrempf, and Smitty - were both integral to the teams success those seasons. However, as good as that group of SG's and SF's were during those seasons, they it simply wasn't as good as the group of wings we had in '99, (with Rider, Jackson, Augmon, Walt Williams, and Bonzi). But ike i said, what really hurt that team was how old they guys were in comparison, which of course greatly hurt the teams' longevity in the long run.

[@basedserb1389]

This montage is perfect. The vibe and the music plus both doing identical passes. I only wish it was longer.

[@kloukk]

Except that prime Sabonis was 7’3 and twice as athletic as Jokic

[@RylzMunkister]

Except that Jokic is clearly better

[@cyruswang9354]

Jokic definitely more athletic, mans outrunning AD on fast breaks.

[@kloukk]

Sabonis entered the NBA at 30 years old and was already just a shell of his younger self due to career ending injuries. Sabonis in his 20s is smoking Jokic any given day lol

[@Celiousss]

Prime Sabonis also wasn’t in the nba so we’ll never see what he would’ve became in the nba.

[@exiledknight3961]

@@kloukk thats cap.

[@c4sp3r91]

This vid is so underrated

[@T-roc57]

Jokic is very good & has earned his comparison to sabonis, but prime sabonis would blow the doors right off of him...bigger, quicker, more nimble/better feet, better shooter, better passer, better defender. Don't get me wrong joker is great at all of that too but to quote bill walton, "Sabonis is like a 7'3, 300 lb larry bird".

[@dalegriffin6768]

I agree 100%

[@butterflybasics1688]

I agree with all that except better shooter and better passer. Jokic shoots 40%+ awhen ever he feels like it while shooting contested stepback threes. Jokic is a top 10 passer of all time, I don't see a universe where arvydas is getting 11 assists+ every other game while remaining the same player. Prime put into the nba would probably get around 6 assists a game(which is still insane for a big, and decent for a guard)

[@T-roc57]

@@butterflybasics1688-This comment is over a year old, Jokic is a beast & isnt done.

[@erichvonmanstein6876]

​@@butterflybasics1688top ten passer of alltime BWAHHHHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA good joke kid

[@milosjovicevic6083]

You are insanely delusional. Jokic is by far better in almost everything lmfao😄

[@kdfh2899]

That pass to Stoudemire was a dime 😯

[@yaxing007]

Sabonis was soooo much more athletic than jokic. He was dominating David Robinson in the world games in his prime

[@stevetseitz]

Imagine if Portland had gotten him when they drafted him. Possible starting line-up: Porter, Drexler, Vandeweghe, Steve Johnson, Sabonis second string: Michael Holton, Jim Paxson, Jerome Kersey, Kenny Carr and Sam Bowie as a back-up. I think they would have made a run deep into the playoffs if not won the whole thing.

[@Jonas-PD]

I think they would have beaten Jordan in 92’ with him there. Bulls would have had no answer for him.

[@eellsreese]

They went to the finals twice without him! I’d call that a deep run. Losing in 6 in the finals is 1 game short of as deep as it gets. With him I’d say 2 titles

[@GS-il5dr]

This is one of the best edits i’ve ever seen ngl

[@robertofuegogarcia3977]

Sabonis hubiera ido con 21 años a la NBA HUBIERA SIDO EL MEJOR DE LA HISTORIA ,PARA MUCHO MEJOR

[@GokanSaki]

Jokic is probably the closest we’re ever gonna get to seeing how a prime Sabonis would have fared in the NBA. Offensively their games are pretty similar but defensively Sabonis seems to have the edge as he was noticeably more athletic than Jokic is when he was younger based on the admittedly sparse footage we have of him playing in the USSR. His defensive and rebounding game during his prime footage seems similar to Bill Walton’s and Marc Gasol’s

[@RelloBluntz]

Swag on that one pass on a hunnit

[@eugenijuszemaitis5816]

Super. I like it. Perfect video❤❤❤

[@dirtydemon1234]

These edits are dope, this one and the Hakeem Olajuwon one are dope

[@mateoescobar4234]

Jokic - more offense Sabonis - two way playaaaa

[@gemmaberdin8479]

A prime Sabonis (Sabas) is a combination of what MVP Jokic is with more power and dominance. Portland Sabonis ain't Prime Sabonis Prime Sabonis is USSR Sabonis

[@alfonsoclemente4404]

In Real Madrid and USSR

[@ziginaigra]

+sabonis was much better in defense :)

[@kompjuterastas2310]

Prime Sabonis doesn't exist. USSR Sabonis was pre, inter and post achilles Sabonis.

[@froilanlansangan2]

Keep up the good work. Nice 1

[@ikonoklastas3454]

Thanks that you feel that way:)

[@celaltapan4212]

Sabonis gerçek kral be kardeşim jogiç kim

[@user-gt8hr9io9t]

При всем уважении Йокича, сабас это космос!

[@supermario6999]

Sabonis > Jokic

[@VisualFeast7557]

Jokic is the best passing center of all time. But Sabas before all his injuries, was much more athletic than the joker, just watch his dunks over Robinson (1986).

[@ziginaigra]

in todays game prime sabonis would score 50 on jokic😂

[@ISCO951]

Para nada, el mejor pívot pasador ha sido Sabonis, si siempre se ha dicho lo que hubiera llegado a ser Sabas si no hubiera tenido lesiones y en su época que fue la edad dorada de la NBA, imagina a ese Sabas pletórico en la NBA de hoy, se los comería uno a uno incluido a Jokic

[@James-wn2jo]

Grande Arvidas !

[@yulboothe4540]

Nope we are not, the difference is in his prime sabonis was one of the fastest players on the court. Jokic is far slower, feet wise than sabonis in his prime. But of course we got sabonis at the end of his career after the injuries.

[@nbayore]

Great vid! I wanted to make a similar one like this recently, glad I didn’t bc this one would’ve shat on mine

[@carljuztine3328]

pretty good montage, gooosiiiebuuumpsie

[@Emmathelady]

This may be true, but also Domantas is also showing off what his dad could have done in his prime.

[@Lawyeris]

Sabas is the best. Jokic good

[@andrejm77]

He was great but he is still wiping tears from that finals against SR Jugoslavia ;) Always had cure for him, Jokic is unstoppable and MVP!

[@Lawyeris]

@@andrejm77 I doubt if Jokic even would make national team of Jugoslavia in 95 :))) in 95 Lithuania had only 3 extra class players (Sabas, Marchiulionis, Karnishovas), and Jugoslavia only with help of referees barely won that game. Sabas still was magnificent player, even after two times he totally broke his Achilles in 87. Till 87 he just dominated against all the centres of Jugoslavia and "raped" them.

[@andrejm77]

@@Lawyeris Oh yes he would, those were basketball gods but none of them was the first star of their NBA team... Jokic and Doncic are one step beyond legends like Sabonis, Marchulyonis, Danilovic, Drazen, Kukoc, Radja and others.. even Bodiroga.

[@andrejm77]

@@Lawyeris And yes Sabas raped them because generation of Divac, Radja and other Yu centers were in those years too young. As soon as they got to their 20's it was game over for the rest of the world.

[@Lawyeris]

@@andrejm77 yeah yeah, and GSW'22 would defeat Bulls'95😆 I'm sure Jokic wouldnt be in Jugo dream team'95, and he wouldnt be MVP in Euroleague, when he would be 39 years old, as Sabas did, when he returned in Euroleague when he was 39. In those days basketball was more tough and physical in NBA and centers dominated much more. By the way, Jokic achieved nothing in Europe, with his national team, I even have doubts, if he would dominate in Euroleague, because its different basketball here. As Domantas Sabonis cant find his playing in national Lithuanian team, though has big numbers in NBA.

[@mattchooblink]

Sabonis prime beats Jokic prime any day

[@elonmartin5065]

Big facts

[@simlabs9354]

They have the same moves

[@hezilife3141]

Sabonis was a Center with Vision, Jokic is a Fat Point Guard who can ball handle and create his own shot

[@Gianluca-xn7ri]

Arvydas Sabonis was Jokic but way better in defense, way more athletic, he usually in his prime pulling down 15 rebounds and 4-5 blocks. He dominated David Robinson, the admiral, the best NBA center at that time, in 86 world cup and 88 Seoul Olimpics. Best European ever, if he went in NBA at 22-23..we don't know, but I'm sure he would be top 5 centers ever played. With Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, Russell and Hakeem

[@troliskimosko]

These are good comparison passes but Jokic has much more playmaking ability than any version of Sabonis. But sabonis was HUGE and a surprising athlete in his prime and could play much much more defense than Jokic could. I’ll take sabonis

Sabas dunked like god

[@jonweaver2410]

Truthfully, the Atlanta Hawks drafted Arvydas Sabonis first. Somehow, gladly he end up playing for Portland Trailblazers. BTW, beautiful melody...what's the name of the track. Thank you in advance.

[@Johnny-xj5qu]

Arvydas was stiff and immobile due to his ruptured Achilles and weight gain. In the NBA, he was a very good player without having any legs. He likely would have been a top 10 player in the league if he came over healthy and in his prime

[@johnmellos9946]

Sabonis is in prime was much more athletic. I love Jokic but Sabonis was a monster.

[@subzerofromny735]

Jokic is what sabonis should’ve been had he been allowed to come into the nba during his prime

[@mehmetbesirtekin4071]

Alperen Sengunnnn

[@volkanguneylioglu9599]

USSR Sabonis was the best center of all time.

[@user-mz8cs9oz9s]

Song name?

[@ataytaygaraev4298]

Tommy Guerrero - White Sands

[@user-mz8cs9oz9s]

@@ataytaygaraev4298 thanks bro

[@marksines1246]

marc gasol is closer with that passing and reliability from outside, arvydass and vlade also but with less attempts from 3 and both great passer too

[@Kosmos77789]

SABAS!

[@user-ng2tw2ie2f]

Сабонис голова, талантище.

[@jandrashriker5861]

Sadly, Sabonis had to play with Jail Blazers. What's worse is that cold war era policies made sure that he wouldn't play in the league in his prime. Bill Simmons, who would go to Europe to see players there, had a lot of nice things to say about Arvydas Sabonis.

[@kompjuterastas2310]

Utah Jazz had to try to get Sabas. Mark Eaton retired due to injuries, they needed a good center, but they didn't get a good one, they got Ostertag and somebody else. Imagine center transition from Eaton to Sabonis!

[@greedisbad9890]

if only USSR isn't a thing

[@ds1570]

Old sabonis is the same as prime jokic.

[@bgd.11]

???

[@ziginaigra]

@@bgd.11 he means prime sabonis was much better:)

[@samomalo9368]

Delusional

[@ds1570]

@@samomalo9368 sorry I meant better

[@ziginaigra]

@@samomalo9368 prime sabonis could score 50 on jokic

[@belekoks8565]

Sabas was a playmaker in his teens....

[@user-he7jd8wl8o]

Teens ??? Your anal playmaker. Arvidas -GOAT

[@thecodemongoose]

This is a good comparison passing wise. But if Sabonis came to the NBA young. The Detroit Pistons would have had back to back nothings. And he would have made MJ sweat a whole lot more for 4 rings. Not 6

[@dalegriffin6768]

Sobonis was more athletic, Jokic is not a great athlete, but he has all the skills Sobonis had

[@metalhead2536]

My glorious "more turnovers than assists" king ARVYDAS SABONIS. gtfoh lmao

[@varneris]

Sabas eat Jokic 1v1

[@modestasgendvilas4779]

Sabas is the best!

[@bluedream4943]

JOKIC PERIOD

[@ziginaigra]

sabonis was 2.0 jokic :)

[@arthurgadz646]

Arvydas far more athletic..

[@micheleoropallo9941]

peccato le ginocchia di Sabonis e il suo non contenersi a livello nutrizionale (eufemismo)

[@datopvids]

Don’t compare him to jokic

[@LeksoS]

Jokic is better. Better handles and footwork

[@nidzeksmocni659]

Поздрав Лексо јуначе!

[@LeksoS]

@@nidzeksmocni659 поздрав брат!

[@user-fq3mq8xh5b]

I hope you don't compare Sabonis when he came to the NBA against young Jokic. Look at how he played young at first. Then come back and apologize for your words.

[@LeksoS]

@@user-fq3mq8xh5b Jokic better

[@user-fq3mq8xh5b]

@@LeksoS stay on the line your call is very important to us

[@frenzy9994]

Jokic much more better ...take google compare