Dimitris Papanikolaou
Encyclopedia
Dimitrios Papanikolaou, also spelled Dimitris Papanikolaou (in ; born February 7, 1977 in Nea Liosia, Athens
, Greece
) is a Greek
professional basketball player. He is 2.02 m (6 ft 7 ½ in) tall. He plays at the shooting guard
, small forward
, and power forward
positions.
. He then transferred to Olympiacos Piraeus
in the year 1995. With Olympiacos, he won 2 Greek Championships
(1996, 1997), 2 Greek Cups
(1997, 2002), the Euroleague
Championship (1997), and also the Triple Crown
(1997).
In 2002, he moved to Makedonikos Kozani
, and then in 2003, he moved to Panathinaikos Athens. With Panathinaikos, he won 4 Greek Championships
(2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), 3 Greek Cups
(2005, 2006, 2007), the Euroleague
Championship (2007), and also the Triple Crown
(2007). In 2007, he moved to AEK Athens
, in 2009 to Panionios and a year later he joined Peristeri. He announced his retirement from professional basketball on August 22nd 2011.
and also at the 1995 FIBA Under-19 World Championship
. With the senior Greek National Basketball Team
, Papanikolaou competed at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
and finished in 4th place in the world with Greece.
He also competed with Greece at the following European Championships
: Eurobasket 1997
, Eurobasket 1999
, Eurobasket 2001
, and Eurobasket 2003
. Papanikolaou was also a member of the Greek team at the 1996 Olympic Basketball Tournament
and he was also a member of Greece's team at the 2004 Olympic Basketball Tournament
. In both Olympics, Greece managed to finish 5th in the world.
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) is a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
professional basketball player. He is 2.02 m (6 ft 7 ½ in) tall. He plays at the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
, and power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
positions.
Pro career
Papanikolaou began his professional career in 1992 with the Greek club Sporting AthensSporting BC
A.O. Sporting Athens BC is a Greek professional basketball team that was founded in the year 1936. The team is located at Ano Patissia, Athens, Greece, at the area of Elia Zervou 81 and Sarantaporoy.-History:...
. He then transferred to Olympiacos Piraeus
Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
in the year 1995. With Olympiacos, he won 2 Greek Championships
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
(1996, 1997), 2 Greek Cups
Greek basketball Cup
The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
(1997, 2002), the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Championship (1997), and also the Triple Crown
Triple Crown in Basketball
The Triple Crown is a term in European professional club basketball that refers to a club winning their country's top tier national domestic league, primary national domestic cup, and the top tier European continental level competition in the same season. It is the highest accomplishment that a...
(1997).
In 2002, he moved to Makedonikos Kozani
Makedonikos BC
Makedonikos B.C. is a Greek professional basketball club. The club is located in Neapoli, Thessaloniki , Greece. The club was founded in the year 1928.-History:...
, and then in 2003, he moved to Panathinaikos Athens. With Panathinaikos, he won 4 Greek Championships
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
(2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), 3 Greek Cups
Greek basketball Cup
The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
(2005, 2006, 2007), the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Championship (2007), and also the Triple Crown
Triple Crown in Basketball
The Triple Crown is a term in European professional club basketball that refers to a club winning their country's top tier national domestic league, primary national domestic cup, and the top tier European continental level competition in the same season. It is the highest accomplishment that a...
(2007). In 2007, he moved to AEK Athens
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
, in 2009 to Panionios and a year later he joined Peristeri. He announced his retirement from professional basketball on August 22nd 2011.
Greek national team
With the junior Greek national team, Papanikolaou won the gold medal at both the 1993 FIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
and also at the 1995 FIBA Under-19 World Championship
FIBA Under-19 World Championship
The FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
. With the senior Greek National Basketball Team
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, Papanikolaou competed at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
and finished in 4th place in the world with Greece.
He also competed with Greece at the following European Championships
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
: Eurobasket 1997
EuroBasket 1997
-Venues:The tournament was played at three venues in Spain. Girona and Badalona hosted the first and the second round, while the entire knockout stage was played at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona.-First round:-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:...
, Eurobasket 1999
EuroBasket 1999
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:-5th place bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, Eurobasket 2001
EuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
, and Eurobasket 2003
Eurobasket 2003
-5th to 8th place:-Awards:-All-Tournament Team : Tony Parker Šarūnas Jasikevičius Saulius Štombergas Andrei Kirilenko Pau Gasol-Top scorers :# Pau Gasol 25.8# Andrei Kirilenko 23.1# Dirk Nowitzki 22.5# Mehmet Okur 18.7...
. Papanikolaou was also a member of the Greek team at the 1996 Olympic Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
and he was also a member of Greece's team at the 2004 Olympic Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
. In both Olympics, Greece managed to finish 5th in the world.
Pro teams
- AO Sporting AthensSporting BCA.O. Sporting Athens BC is a Greek professional basketball team that was founded in the year 1936. The team is located at Ano Patissia, Athens, Greece, at the area of Elia Zervou 81 and Sarantaporoy.-History:...
(1992–95) - Olympiacos PiraeusOlympiacos BCOlympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
(1995–02) - Makedonikos KozaniMakedonikos BCMakedonikos B.C. is a Greek professional basketball club. The club is located in Neapoli, Thessaloniki , Greece. The club was founded in the year 1928.-History:...
(2002–03) - Panathinaikos Athens (2003–07)
- AEK AthensAEK Athens BCAEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
(2007–09) - Panionios (2009–2010)
- Peristeri (2010–2011)
Pro career
- Won 6 Greek ChampionshipsA1 EthnikiThe Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
(1996, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) - Won 5 Greek CupsGreek basketball CupThe Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
(1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007) - Won 2 EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Championships (1997, 2007) - Won 2 Triple CrownsTriple Crown in BasketballThe Triple Crown is a term in European professional club basketball that refers to a club winning their country's top tier national domestic league, primary national domestic cup, and the top tier European continental level competition in the same season. It is the highest accomplishment that a...
(1997, 2007) - 7x Greek All Star GameHEBA Greek All Star GameThe Greek HEBA All-Star Game, also known as the Greek ΕΣΑΚΕ All Star Game is the All Star Game of the HEBA Greek basketball association for men, was founded and organized by GUS SARIANIDES which features players from the top Greek pro basketball league the HEBA A1 Division. The game is played in a...
(1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009) - Won the Greek All Star Game Slam Dunk Contest (2001)
Greek national team
- FIBA Europe Under-16 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-16 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Cadets, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1971. Until 2003 it was held every second year, but from 2003 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Croatia.-Results:-Performances by nation:-MVP...
: Gold Medal (1993) - FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipThe FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
: Gold Medal (1995)