Sabonis celebrates

Newly enshrined Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis was taken aback by the cheers he garnered at a downtown rally Thursday in his honor. “I’m very surprised,” he told nearly 3,000 fans gathered in Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square. “I don’t know what to say. I appreciate you remember me.” Sabonis (pictured right) was visiting Portland after being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last Friday. The 7-foot-3, 300-pound Lithuanian center was a star in Europe before coming to the NBA at age 31 to play for the Trail Blazers. He spent seven seasons in Portland. Sabonis had not returned to the city in the eight years since his retirement. Former teammates Brian Grant and Chris Dudley took part in the celebration. – Associated Press