After marrying a Jewish woman in 2021, Domantas Sabonis, star Power Forward on the Sacramento Kings, recently decided to convert to Judaism.

In an interview about her husband’s conversion, Shashana Sabonis said, “[Domantas] loves [Judaism] and really wants to be a part of it.” The Sabonis family has committed to being as observant as possible, noting that they keep Passover and do their best to keep Shabbat when they can.

Shashana also explained that Domantas regularly studies Jewish topics over Zoom with Rabbi Erez Sherman, a rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. Sherman said that Sabonis, who once asked to study right after notching a triple-double against the Houston Rockets, is very dedicated to learning. 

Sabonis will be the only current Jewish NBA player, and is thus a major role model to Jews across sports. “It’s great to see a Jewish NBA player who is also an All-Star and one of the top players in the league,” said Junior Varsity basketball player and sophomore Samson Furst. “It is truly inspiring to see Jews perform at the highest level of professional sports.”