Domantas Sabonis played crucial minutes off the bench last season, appearing in 74 games during the 2018-19 season for the Indiana Pacers. He averaged 25 minutes per game, despite starting five of 74 games. Sabonis led the team in rebounding, averaging 9.3 boards per contest, which was also good for 18th in the Association. The 6-foot-10 center proved an able scorer as well, finishing third on the squad in scoring with 14.1 points per contest. Sabonis tallied 30 double-doubles, including six in the month of December. November was his best month statistically, though, as the big man managed 15.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest. Sabonis matched a career high with 30 points at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks on Halloween. On Nov. 19, Sabonis nearly accumulated a triple-double against Utah, compiling 19 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a 121-94 win. He shot an efficient 59-percent from the field on the year, which not only led the Pacers but was seventh in the entire NBA. Sabonis also was a willing passer, averaging a career-high 2.9 assists per contest. His Pacers finished the season at 48-34 and lost to the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Indiana Pacers in the summer heading into his sophomore season. Sabonis played 74 games in 2017-18 and started 19 times, averaging 11.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.5 minutes per game. Sabonis gave the Pacers efficient minutes, as he shot 51.4 percent from the field and 75.0 percent from the foul line over the season. He got out to a good start with the Pacers, as he tallied 16 points, on 7-of-7 shooting, and seven rebounds in 19 minutes of action in the first game of the season. He continued with a solid month in October, averaging 12.9 points and 11.0 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game. He reached the 20-point plateau for the first time on October 29, 2017, and did it four more times through the regular season, including a season-high 30 points on April 8, 2018. He registered 15 double-doubles on the season, including an impressive outing, where he finished with 12 points, five assists, and a season-high 16 rebounds. Sabonis played seven games in the postseason, where the Pacers lost to the Cavaliers in seven games in the First Round. Sabonis averaged 12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game in that series.

Following two seasons at Gonzaga, Sabonis was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He was technically drafted by the Magic, but was traded that same day to the OKC Thunder with Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova for veteran Serge Ibaka. Sabonis proceeded to appear in 81 games for the Thunder, received 66 starts and played 20.1 minutes per contest. He averaged 5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest. The rookie shot 39.9 percent percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three and 65.7 percent from the charity stripe. Sabonis' NBA debut occurred during the first game of the season, Oct. 26, when he played 16 minutes in a six-point win over the 76ers on the road. He posted five points (2-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt) and four rebounds. On Dec. 23, the scored a season-high 20 points during a win at Boston. His best stretch of the season was six games from Nov. 2 through Nov. 11. In 25.6 minutes per game, he averaged 9.8 points on 8.0 shots, plus 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. On the season, he accumulated two double-doubles. The Thunder finished the season 47-35, making the playoffs as the six seed in the Western Conference but losing to the Rockets in five games during the First Round. Sabonis played six playoff minutes and posted four points, two rebounds, one steal and one block.