Starting 5 showcases Sabonis' underrated but hugely important quality

As many of you are well aware, Netflix has released a new basketball documentary called Starting 5, which gives fans a peak behind the curtain in what the life of an NBA superstar really looks like.

As the name implies, the documentary follows five players – LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, and, of course, Sacramento's own Domantas Sabonis.

The documentary offers a lot of great insights, things that even the most diehard Sacramento Kings fan wouldn't know about Sabonis. For instance, episode two of the 10-part series showcases an attribute about Sabonis' game that doesn't always show up on film.

Domantas Sabonis shows his quiet but effective leadership

Given that Sabonis isn't consistently going viral with post-game interview quotes, one can guess that he is usually a pretty soft-spoken guy. In most professions, that is quite alright. But when you are an NBA All-Star and one of the best players on a team with deep playoff aspirations, you need to be able to express yourself from time to time.

Fortunately, despite his normally reserved nature, Starting 5 shows us that Sabonis knows how to step up to the plate when it's time to bat.

“Domantas [Sabonis] is still a growing leader," head coach Mike Brown said in an interview for the Starting 5 documentary. "He knows that he has the responsibility of not only leading by example but vocally, too."

Even though he isn't the only star in Sacramento, Sabonis understands that to be a leader in the NBA, you need to be able to produce both on the floor and in the locker room. The 28-year-old is more than willing to don that mantle.

“That is kind of a role I want to develop into more," Sabonis said during the Starting 5 documentary. "That is being a leader and pushing this team to another level.”

What does this mean for the Sacramento Kings in 2024-25?

The documentary follows the players through the 2023-24 season. That means that Sabonis has another full year of being a leader under his belt heading into the 2024-25 season.

Yes, the Kings added a great leader this offseason in DeMar DeRozan. His sage wisdom will be huge in helping the team reach their ultimate goals. However, hearing the same voice over and over again can get old. So, DeRozan will need Sabonis to also bear some of the leadership load this season. And as the Starting 5 series has shown us, he can certainly handle that.

To learn more about Sabonis and his Starting 5 teammates, be sure to check out Netflix's new documentary, which is available NOW.