Domantas Sabonis believed it was time for a change before the start of the next NBA season in the fall.
After wearing No. 10 on his Kings jersey since his trade from Indiana in 2022, the 28-year-old center will switch to No. 11, a number he previously wore during his five seasons with the Pacers. This decision honors his Hall-of-Fame father, Arvydas Sabonis, a Lithuanian basketball legend who also wore No. 11 throughout his illustrious career, including seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The number holds deep significance for Sabonis, so much so that he and his wife Shashana named their daughter Eleven Rose, born on July 11 almost a year ago. “I grew up playing basketball because of him. I fell in love with the game because of him,” Sabonis told FOX40 about his father. “It feels right. My daughter’s name is Eleven, it’s a tribute to her too. It’s just a really exciting time for my family and how much this means to all of us.”
The No. 11 is retired by the Kings to honor Bob Davies, a Hall-of-Fame guard who played for the franchise when it was based in Rochester and part of the National Basketball League. Davies, who led the Royals to a championship in 1951 and passed away in 1990, wore No. 11 during his career.
Davies’ children have given their blessing for Sabonis to wear their father’s retired number next season. “Given the Sabonis family’s special connection to number 11, we thought it was fitting to share our dad’s number with Domantas and wish him much success,” said Davies’ daughter Camy Davies Keck in a statement released by the Kings.
Sabonis also sees this as a chance to honor Davies and bring attention to his contributions to the organization. He met Davies’ family during a game last season to express the importance of the number to him. “I’m excited we’re going to bring awareness back to Bob Davies and everything he did. It’s really cool for both families. I’m excited to have this number back,” he said.
The Kings missed the playoffs last season, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with a 46-36 record. They won a play-in game against the Warriors but were eliminated by the Pelicans. Sabonis had a standout season, being named to the All-NBA Third Team for the second consecutive year and leading the league in double-doubles and rebounds.
Reflecting on his personal achievements, Sabonis told FOX40, “Making All-NBA again, at least for me personally, is a bigger achievement than the All-Star Game. It’s an all-season award and shows how hard you’ve worked or played throughout the season. To get recognition from everyone is pretty cool.”
He expressed his determination to improve the team’s performance next season. Last summer, Sabonis signed a five-year, $217 million contract extension with the Kings. He praised the recent contract extension of head coach Mike Brown, highlighting the team’s long-term commitment.
Sabonis is also keen to retain teammate Malik Monk, who will become a free agent on July 1. “He knows if he doesn’t re-sign, dude, I do not want to see him; he knows better. I’ve been annoying him all season about this, so we’ll see if it works,” Sabonis said humorously.
Currently in Spain, Sabonis is preparing to compete for Lithuania in the qualifying tournament for the Summer Olympics in Paris. Despite a thumb injury last season that kept him out of the FIBA World Cup, he is optimistic about Lithuania’s chances in the tough group stage. “It would mean a lot to me to help the team and the country be back in the Olympics,” Sabonis said. He will continue to wear No. 11 for the Lithuanian National Team.