Konstantinos "Kostas" Papanikolaou ( gr, Κωνσταντίνος "Κώστας" Παπανικολάου; born 31 July 1990) is a Greek professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player and the
team captain
In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...
for
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
of the
Greek Basket League
The Greek Basket League (GBL), often also referred to as the Greek A1 Basketball League, or Greek Basketball Championship (originally called Panhellenic Basketball Championship), and also known as the Stoiximan Basket League for sponsorship reaso ...
and the
EuroLeague. Standing at 2.04 m (6'8 ") tall,
he plays at the
small forward
The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger t ...
position. He has previously played in the
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
for the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
and the
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
, as well as for the
EuroLeague powerhouse
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
Founded ...
. Papanikolaou is also a regular member of the senior
Hellenic national team. He is widely considered amongst the best defensive players in European basketball.
Professional career
Aris (2008–2009)
Papanikolaou began playing basketball with the youth teams of Proteas Grevenon and Aris, and he made his pro debut in the
Greek League, with
Aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...
, during the 2008–09 season. He was named the MVP of the
Greek Youth All-Star Game in 2009. He was also named the Greek League's
Best Young Player in 2009.
Olympiacos (2009–2013)
On 14 September 2009, Papanikolaou signed a five-year, €1.3 million
net income
In business and accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest, a ...
deal with
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
, after Olympiacos paid a €950,000 buyout fee to
Aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...
, to secure his player rights.
Papanikolaou's contract with Olympiacos had an
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
buyout clause worth €1 million.
With Olympiacos, he won the
EuroLeague and
Greek League championships in 2012. Papanikolaou was voted the
EuroLeague Rising Star for the
EuroLeague 2012–13 season. With Olympiacos, he also won the
2012–13 season EuroLeague championship.
FC Barcelona (2013–2014)
On 20 July 2013, Papanikolaou signed a four-year deal with
Spanish League club
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
Founded ...
, after Barcelona bought Papanikolaou out of his contract with Olympiacos, paying a transfer buyout fee of €1.5 million to Olympiacos, and giving Papanikolaou a contract worth €5.5 million
net income
In business and accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest, a ...
, during the contract's first three years (the 4th optional year would be at an additional salary).
The contract included NBA buyout clauses in the amounts of €1.1 million for 2014, and €750,000 for 2015.
Barcelona went on to win the 2013–14 Spanish Liga ACB championship.
Houston Rockets (2014–2015)
On 28 June 2012, Papanikolaou was selected with the 48th overall pick in the
2012 NBA draft
The 2012 NBA draft was held on June 28, 2012, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (2300 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Asso ...
by the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. On July 16, 2012, his draft rights were acquired by the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
, via a trade that sent
Raymond Felton
Raymond Bernard Felton Jr. (born June 26, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. Felton played college basketball for the University of North Carolina under head coach Roy Williams.
At North Carolina, Felton led the Tar Hee ...
to the Knicks.
On 10 July 2013, Papanikolaou's rights were acquired by the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
, via a trade that sent
Thomas Robinson Thomas, Tom or Tommy Robinson may refer to:
Artists
* Thomas Robinson (composer) (c. 1560 – after 1609), English composer and music teacher
* Thomas Heath Robinson (1869–1954), British book illustrator
Politicians
* Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron ...
to the Trail Blazers.
On 23 September 2014, Papanikolaou signed with the Houston Rockets. On 13 February 2015, he took part in the
Rising Stars Challenge
The Rising Stars Challenge is a basketball exhibition game held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend. The current format to be used in 2022 includes first- and ...
of the
NBA All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is a basketball exhibition game hosted every February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's star players. It is the featured event of NBA All-Star Weekend, a ...
; in spite of an injury-plagued rookie season, during which he averaged 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, while coming off the bench, the Rockets decided to pick up his team option for the 2015–16 season.
Denver Nuggets (2015–2016)
On 20 July 2015, the Rockets traded Papanikolaou,
Joey Dorsey
Richard Elmer "Joey" Dorsey (born December 16, 1983) is an American professional basketball player for APOP Paphos B.C. of the Cyprus Basketball Division A. He played college basketball for the University of Memphis.
College career
During both h ...
,
Nick Johnson,
Pablo Prigioni
Pablo Prigioni (born May 17, 1977) is an Argentine-Italian former professional basketball player, currently serving as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played the point guard position, and was a member of the senior Argentina ...
, a 2016 first-round draft pick, and cash considerations to the
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
, in exchange for
Ty Lawson and a 2017 second-round draft pick. On 25 September 2015, he was waived by the Nuggets. He later re-signed with Denver on November 5, 2015, and made his debut for the team that night. He was waived again by the Nuggets on 7 January 2016, before his salary became fully guaranteed.
Return to the Olympiacos (2016–present)
On 20 January 2016, Papanikolaou signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
, returning to the club for a second stint.
On 5 July 2018, Papanikolaou and Olympiacos officially agreed on a new three-year contract extension. He signed another three-year extension on 22 September 2020.
National team career
Greek junior national
As a member of the junior national basketball teams of Greece, Papanikolaou won the silver medal at the
2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
The 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was an international basketball competition held in Spain in 2007.
Final ranking
1.
2. Greece
3. Latvia
4. Lithuania
5. Spain
6. France
7. Croatia
8. Turkey
9. Germany
10. Russia
1 ...
and the gold medal at the
2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
The 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was an international basketball competition held in Greece from July 25, 2008 until August 3. The hosts, Greeks, emerged as the champions after beating the Lithuanians in the final, 57–50 to clinch th ...
. He also won the silver medal at the
2009 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Papanikolaou also won the gold medal at the
2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
The 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship was the 12th edition of the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. The cities of Rhodes and Ialysos, in Greece, hosted the tournament. Greece won their second title.
Israel and Belgium were relegated to Divis ...
, where he was also named to the All-Tournament Team and won the MVP award. He then won the silver medal at the
2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
The 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship was the 13th edition of the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. The cities of Zadar, Crikvenica and Makarska, in Croatia, hosted the tournament. France won their first title.
Netherlands and the Czech Rep ...
with Greece's junior national team, where he was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
Greek senior national team
In August 2009, Papanikolaou made his debut with the senior men's
Greek national basketball team
The Greece men's national basketball team ( el, Eθνική Oμάδα Καλαθοσφαίρισης Ελλάδος) represents Greece in international basketball. They are controlled by the Hellenic Basketball Federation, the governing body for ...
, in a
friendly game
Friendly may refer to:
Places
* Friendly, West Yorkshire, a settlement in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England
* Friendly, Maryland, an unincorporated community in the United States
* Friendly, Eugene, Oregon, a neighborhood in the United States
* ...
. With Greece's senior national team, he then played at
EuroBasket 2011
EuroBasket 2011 was the 37th men's EuroBasket, European Basketball Championship, held by FIBA Europe. The competition was hosted by Lithuania. This was the second time EuroBasket had been held in Lithuania, the country having also hosted t ...
, the
2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the
EuroBasket 2013
EuroBasket 2013 was the 38th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe. It took place from 4 September until 22 September 2013 in Slovenia. The number of participating teams was 24.
France defeated Lithuania in th ...
, the
2014 FIBA World Cup
The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 17th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the tournament previously known as the FIBA World Championship. Hosted by Spain, it was the last tournament to be held on the then-current four-year cycle ...
, the
EuroBasket 2015
EuroBasket 2015 was the 39th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe. It was co-hosted by Croatia, France, Germany, and Latvia, making it the first EuroBasket held in more than one country. It started on 5 Sept ...
, and the
EuroBasket 2017
EuroBasket 2017 was the 40th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe and held between 31 August and 17 September 2017. Beginning from 2017, the continental championships take place every four years with a similar ...
. He also played at the
2019 FIBA World Cup qualification.
He has appeared in 134 games for the senior national side and has scored a total of 842 points.
Player profile
A player who with his energy and athletic ability fills every corner of the parquet. He is a modern guard-forward with the ability to fight at least three positions (2-3-4) with great success. Is good 3 points shooter and he loves to run in surprise and often finish the stages with striking nails. It has a prestigious winning mindset and thanks to this it has already celebrated many national and collective titles. Excellent defender, thanks to his long legs and elusive abilities, while helping him play left-handed.
Awards and accomplishments
Club career
Olympiacos
*2×
EuroLeague Champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...
: (2012, 2013)
*3×
Greek League Champion: (2012, 2016, 2022)
*3×
Greek Cup
The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.
The Greek Cup is the second most im ...
Winner: (2010, 2011, 2022)
Barcelona
*
Spanish League Champion: (2014)
Individual
*EuroLeague Best Defender (2018) by ''Eurohoops''
*4× Member of the Best Defenders of EuroLeague (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
*Olympiacos 2010–20 Team of Decade
*
EuroLeague Rising Star: (2013)
*
EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer
The EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer is the individual award for the player that gained the highest points in the EuroLeague Finals, the championship finals of the European-wide top-tier level professional club basketball competition, the EuroLeag ...
: (2012)
* 2×
EuroLeague MVP of the Round
The EuroLeague MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Round, previously known as the EuroLeague MVP of the Week, is an award of Europe's premier level basketball league, the EuroLeague, that is given to the best player of each round of the season. Eac ...
*2×
Greek League Best Young Player: (2009, 2012)
*3×
Greek League Best Five: (2012, 2013, 2017)
*3×
Greek League All-Star: (2013, 2018, 2019)
*
Greek Youth All-Star Game:
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
: (2009)
*2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship: MVP
*2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship: All-Tournament Team
*2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship: All-Tournament Team
Olympiacos EuroLeague records
*EuroLeague all-time leader in steals
Greek junior national team
*
2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
The 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was an international basketball competition held in Spain in 2007.
Final ranking
1.
2. Greece
3. Latvia
4. Lithuania
5. Spain
6. France
7. Croatia
8. Turkey
9. Germany
10. Russia
1 ...
:
*2008
Albert Schweitzer Tournament
The Albert Schweitzer Tournament (AST) is an international basketball competition that is played between national basketball teams of the Under-18 men age category. It takes place every two years in Mannheim, Germany, and is contested between t ...
:
*
2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
The 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was an international basketball competition held in Greece from July 25, 2008 until August 3. The hosts, Greeks, emerged as the champions after beating the Lithuanians in the final, 57–50 to clinch th ...
:
*
2009 FIBA Under-19 World Cup:
*
2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
The 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship was the 13th edition of the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. The cities of Zadar, Crikvenica and Makarska, in Croatia, hosted the tournament. France won their first title.
Netherlands and the Czech Rep ...
:
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, 43 , , 1 , , 18.5 , , .350 , , .292 , , .722 , , 2.7 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , .3 , , 4.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 26 , , 6 , , 11.3 , , .364 , , .313 , , .643 , , 1.5 , , .6 , , .5 , , .2 , , 2.6
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;",
, 69 , , 7 , , 15.8 , , .354 , , .297 , , .688 , , 2.3 , , 1.5 , , .6 , , .3 , , 3.6
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, 8 , , 0 , , 2.6 , , .250 , , .000 , , .500 , , .3 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;",
, 8 , , 0 , , 2.6 , , .250 , , .000 , , .500 , , .3 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4
EuroLeague
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2009–10
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=4,
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
, 6 , , 1 , , 6.4 , , .250 , , .000 , , .500 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , .5 , , .0 , , .8 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2010–11
, 16 , , 14 , , 13.7 , , .447 , , .435 , , .647 , , 3.1 , , .3 , , .6 , , .1 , , 3.9 , , 4.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;",
2011–12†
, 22 , , 13 , , 19.8 , , .490 , , .333 , , .688 , , 3.4 , , .6 , , .5 , , .3 , , 6.1 , , 7.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;",
2012–13†
, 31 , , 30 , , 23.8 , , .497 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", .521 , , .723 , , 4.4 , , 1.4 , , .9 , , .7 , , 8.7 , , 11.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2013–14
, style="text-align:left;",
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, 28 , , 27 , , 25.0 , , .507 , , .361 , , .500 , , 3.4 , , 2.2 , , .8 , , .5 , , 6.9 , , 8.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2015–16
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=6,
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
, 7 , , 5 , , 18.9 , , .410 , , .118 , , .583 , , 4.3 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , .4 , , 5.9 , , 5.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2016–17
, 37 , , 32 , , 23.2 , , .422 , , .316 , , .826 , , 4.8 , , 1.5 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 8.1 , , 9.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2017–18
, 28 , , 23 , , 24.1 , , .469 , , .373 , , .775 , , 4.3 , , 2.1 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 8.3 , , 11.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2018–19
, 30 , , 23 , , 23.2 , , .545, , .371 , , .738 , , 3.9 , , 1.6 , , 0.8 , , 9 , , 6.9 , , 8.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2019–20
, 26 , , 21 , , 23.5 , , .606, , .391 , , .708 , , 3.6 , , 1.5 , , 1.4 , , 8 , , 8.5 , , 9.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2020–21
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 15.3 , , 429, , .010 , , .100 , , 2 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 1 , , 3 , , 2
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;",
, 231 , , 212 , , 21.5 , , .550 , , .372 , , .723 , , 3.9 , , .14 , , .8 , , .09 , , 7.2 , , 8.9
References
External links
*
Kostas Papanikolaouat acb.com
Kostas Papanikolaouat draftexpress.com
Kostas Papanikolaouat esake.gr
Kostas Papanikolaouat eurobasket.com
Kostas Papanikolaouat euroleague.net
at FIBA.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Papanikolaou, Kostas
1990 births
Living people
2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
Aris B.C. players
Denver Nuggets players
FC Barcelona Bàsquet players
Greek Basket League players
Greek expatriate basketball people in Spain
Greek expatriate basketball people in the United States
Greek men's basketball players
Houston Rockets players
Liga ACB players
National Basketball Association players from Greece
New York Knicks draft picks
Olympiacos B.C. players
Small forwards
Basketball players from Trikala