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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga set to honor Domantas Sabonis at Jan. 18 home game

Gonzaga forward Domantas Sabonis roars with delight after a call goes the Zags’ way against Syracuse in the 2016 Sweet 16 in Chicago. (FILE PHOTO/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585
Gonzaga forward Domantas Sabonis roars with delight after a call goes the Zags’ way against Syracuse in the 2016 Sweet 16 in Chicago. (FILE PHOTO/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)

Make room for Domantas Sabonis’ No. 11 Gonzaga jersey on the McCarthey Athletic Center wall.

Sabonis will be honored at a Jan. 18 home game against Santa Clara, becoming the sixth men’s player in program history to have his jersey displayed at the Kennel, joining Frank Burgess, John Stockton, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk and Dan Dickau.

Sabonis, son of Naismith Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, was a two-year standout at Gonzaga in 2015 and 2016. He averaged 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds coming off the bench behind center Przemek Karnowski and forward Kyle Wiltjer on the Zags’ 2015 Elite Eight team.

The 6-foot-10 forward hit 66.8% of his shots as a freshman for GU, which finished 35-3 after losing to eventual national champion Duke.

Sabonis had a big sophomore season, averaging 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds, sixth nationally. He was fifth nationally with 23 double-doubles. He was named an Associated Press All-American honorable mention and was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Sabonis averaged 13 points and 7.7 rebounds in six NCAA Tournament games.

He finished his Zags career with 1,002 points and 694 rebounds, the latter ranking 11th in program history. His 63.2% career shooting percentage remains a school record.

Sabonis was selected 11th overall in 2016 by Orlando, which traded him to Oklahoma City on draft night.

After one season with the Thunder, Sabonis and Victor Oladipo were traded to Indiana for Paul George. Sabonis blossomed with the Pacers, earning back-to-back All-Star selections in 2020 and 2021. He averaged 20.3 points and 12 rebounds in 2021.

Sabonis was part of a six-player trade in 2022 , sending him to Sacramento and Tyrese Halliburton to Indiana. Sabonis has averaged 19.5 points, 13 rebounds and 7.4 assists in three-plus seasons with the Kings.

He made another All-Star Game appearance in 2023, and he’s twice been in the top eight in NBA MVP voting. The nine-year NBA veteran led the league in rebounding in 2023 and 2024.