Sabonis Shoots For Lithuania
Free agent center Arvydas Sabonis today joined Lithuania's national champion Zalgiras Vilnius and will play for them in the European league during the NBA lockout.
Sabonis, who played for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, signed a five-month contract, but both sides said he could return to the NBA on short notice if players and owners settle their labor dispute.
His first game is scheduled for Jan. 7 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, against Red Star.
On Monday, free agent center Vlade Divac signed with Yugoslav champion Red Star Belgrade in a deal with a similar provision that would allow him to return to the NBA.
Divac, who played for the Charlotte Hornets last season, will play only in Red Star's Euro League games, not its Yugoslavian league games. Agent Mark Fleischer said Divac would play a maximum of 12 games for Red Star.
If there is no agreement to end the lockout by Jan. 7, Divac will start opposite Sabonis in a Euro League match against Zalgiras in Belgrade.
Divac, a Yugoslav, told the daily newspaper Politika he rejected a much better financial offer to play for Kinder Bologna and opted for the Belgrade team because of patriotic reasons.
"Vlade did not do this for money," said Fleischer, who refused to divulge terms of Divac's contract. "He was going to be in Yugoslavia anyway, and he does not want Red Star to finish last in its division. If it does, it loses its spot in the Euro League."
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