Nikos Stavropoulos
| Personal information | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 17, 1959 Larissa, Greece | |||||||||
| Nationality | Greek | |||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | |||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||
| Playing career | 1975–1993 | |||||||||
| Position | Point guard / Shooting guard | |||||||||
| Coaching career | 1994–present | |||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||
| 1975–1984 | Gymnastikos S. Larissas | |||||||||
| 1984–1992 | PAOK | |||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Iraklis | |||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Indiana Hoosiers (assistant) | |||||||||
| Olympia Larissa | ||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Greece (assistant) | |||||||||
| 1999–2004 | Greece Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||
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Medals
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Nikos "Magic" Stavropoulos (born June 17, 1959), aka Professor Nicholas "Magic" Stavropoulos, is a former Greek professional basketball player that played for Gymnastikos S. Larissas, PAOK, and Iraklis at the pro club level in Greece's GBL basketball league. Born in Larissa, Greece, he began his career with his local area club, Gymnastikos S. Larissas.
Playing career
Club career
Stavropoulos won the Greek Cup in 1984, the Saporta Cup in 1991, and the Greek League championship in 1992, while playing with PAOK. Stavropoulos was known for his dazzling passing skill and spectacular play-making ability, which garnered him the nickname "Magic", or "Greek Magic", after NBA player Magic Johnson, who played during the same era, and also was known for his dazzling passes and play-making ability.[1] He holds the distinction of being the first ever player to make a 3-point basket in the Greek League, after the 3-point shot was first introduced into the league.[1]
He was the Greek Cup Finals Top Scorer in 1984.
International career
Stavropoulos was also a long-time member of the senior men's Greek National Basketball Team. Ηε was a member of the Greek squad that won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 1987, playing alongside such European basketball legends as Panagiotis Giannakis, Panagiotis Fasoulas, Fanis Christodoulou, and Nikos Galis.[2] He also competed for Greece at the EuroBasket 1983 and at the 1986 FIBA World Championship. In total, he played in 102 games for Greece, averaging 5.2 points per game.[3]
Coaching career
After his playing career, Stavropoulos became a coach of the Greek National Youth Teams, and an assistant coach for the Greek National Basketball Team. He also opened up his famous basketball camp called, "Magic Basketball Camp".[4] At his basketball camp, he often worked with legendary basketball coach Bob Knight, whom he had also worked for as an assistant coach on the Indiana Hoosiers Men's Basketball Team, from 1994 to 1997.[1] Stavropoulos also coached the Greek 2nd Division club Olympia Larissa.
References
- 1 2 3 "Greece in Good Hands With Stavropoulos.". FIBA Europe. 14 July 2004. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ↑ "Η πρώτη "χρυσή" σελίδα για την Ελλάδα." (in Greek). onsports.gr. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ↑ "Nikos Stavropoulos player profile." (in Greek). Hellenic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ↑ "Προπονητής." (in Greek). magic-camp.com. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
External links
- FIBAEurope.com article on Stavropoulos
- Professor Nicholas Stavropoulos' basketball camp site (Greek)