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SOLE SHIFT
The international dream team
Arvydas Sabonis - Lithuania Olympics: 1988 Seoul - Gold (Soviet Union), 1992 Barcelona - Bronze, 1996 Atlanta - Bronze Arvydas Sabonis is a basketball legend. He played the majority of his professional career in Europe but before he came to the NBA he was representing the Soviet Union before eventually playing under the Lithuanian flag. Starting his international career in 1982 at the FIBA World Cup championship, Sabonis would become a fixture for the Soviets beginning by leading them to a FIBA EuroBasket championship in 1985, being named MVP of the tournament. He would lead the USSR to medal finishes at the ’86 World Championships (Silver) and ’88 Olympics (Gold) before eventually helping a newly independent Lithuania to a European Championship in 1995 and two Olympic Bronze medals in ’92 and ’96. Sabonis was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Yao Ming - China Olympics: 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing Yao Ming, simply put, is a living legend in China not only for his abilities on the basketball court, but for his philanthropic efforts as well. Yao was dominant in the CBA (Chinese Basketball Association) in his years immediately preceding his NBA career, which was cut short by injury. Internationally, Yao won the FIBA Asian Championship MVP three times; 2001, 2003, and 2005 and helped China reach two FIBA World Championships (2002, 2006) and three Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008). Despite China not finishing higher than eighth in any major international tournament, Ming’s individual dominance is undeniable – 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.3 blocks in two World Championships; 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 blocks in three Olympics.