As the London Lions prepare to face the Newcastle Eagles in the Trophy Final at Utilita Arena Birmingham on Sunday, all eyes will naturally be drawn to Tautvydas Sabonis—not just for his tactical acumen and leadership, but also for the legacy of the Sabonis name.
While the surname carries a reputation for basketball excellence, Tautvydas’ rise to coaching prominence has been guided by personal choice rather than expectation, shaped by the lessons of his upbringing but forged entirely through his own dedication and decisions.
“Everybody thinks it was automatic that my dad was going to push us to play basketball or to be involved in the game, but honestly he never did,” Sabonis reflects.
“He always told us to do whatever we wanted, but because we were around the game so much, for me it just happened automatically.”
Growing up in the United States, the Sabonis children explored a wide range of sports—from American football and tennis to soccer and golf. Basketball, however, became Tautvydas’ calling.
Yet the path was never forced; his siblings each found their own directions, illustrating the family ethos of personal choice.
“My big brother stopped playing at 18 and my dad didn’t mind it at all. He’s a hotel manager now. My sister works in Japan and my other brother is obviously in the NBA, and I’m a coach, so everybody just went on their own path.”
Even as the world notices the Sabonis legacy, Tautvydas keeps perspective.
“My family name is obviously something others look at and think it carries extra pressure, I get asked about it a lot, but I’m happy with who I am, who my parents are, what they taught us,” he says.
“Being a Sabonis is important, but at the same time, everybody has a father, a family, a last name, and you just try to represent those things as best you can as you grow up.”
For Tautvydas, basketball evolved naturally from playing to coaching. While finishing his playing career in Spain, he began pursuing coaching qualifications, testing ideas, asking questions, and even mentoring youth teams.
By the age of 27, he made the leap into full-time coaching.
“In my first year or two of coaching, I definitely missed playing, but I would get involved with my own team’s practices when we had players injured and things like that,” he explains.
“After a while I got used to being a coach and the itch to play went away.”
His philosophy is grounded in discipline and teamwork.
“What matters most to be in a team is discipline, doing what you’re supposed to do and understanding that everything you do on the court is not about what you can do for yourself but what you can do for the team, giving 100% effort no matter what every time.”
Coaching has also revealed his love for leadership:
“I like leading, I like being an example, trying to push guys, finding their limits individually and as a collective, and trying to inspire people to be better.”
Looking back at his rapid rise, Sabonis acknowledges both the work ethic and the surprises along the way.
“If somebody had told me when I was 27 and taking that first step into full-time coaching that I’d be here now—Head Coach of a team in SLB and EuroCup—I’d have been very surprised.
“I’m a hard worker, I believe that putting in the work will get you to places you want to go, but even so, the speed has been surprising to me.”
As the London Lions chase glory in Birmingham, Tautvydas Sabonis embodies a rare blend of heritage and individuality: a man shaped by a legendary basketball lineage yet determined to lead on his own terms, proving that a family legacy is not something that defines you automatically—it’s something you interpret, live, and redefine.