Panagiotis Vasilopoulos

Panagiotis Vasilopoulos, commonly known as Panos Vasilopoulos (alternate spellings: Panayiotis, Vassilopoulos) (Greek: Παναγιώτης "Πάνος" Βασιλόπουλος; born February 8, 1984) is a Greek former professional basketball player who last served as an assistant coach for Peristeri of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League, under head coach Vassilis Spanoulis. He is 2.05 m (6'8 3⁄4") tall.[1] He played at both the small forward and power forward positions.

Panagiotis Vasilopoulos
Vasilopoulos, as a member of Olympiacos, in 2009.
Personal information
Born (1984-02-08) February 8, 1984
Maroussi, North Athens, Greece
NationalityGreek
Listed height6 ft 8.75 in (2.05 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2006: undrafted
Playing career2001–2021
PositionPower forward / small forward
Number8, 13, 21
Coaching career2021–present
Career history
As player:
2001–2005PAOK Thessaloniki
2005–2012Olympiacos
2013Valladolid
2014–2015Ermis Piraeus
2015Nea Kifissia
2015–2016Koroivos Amaliadas
2016–2017Kolossos Rodou
2017–2018Aris Thessaloniki
2018AEK Athens
2018–2021Peristeri
As coach:
2021–2023Peristeri (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
FIBA World Cup 0 1 0
FIBA Stanković World Cup 1 0 0
FIBA EuroBasket 1 0 0
FIBA U21 World Cup 0 1 0
FIBA U19 World Cup 0 0 1
FIBA U-18 European Championship 0 0 1
Total 2 2 2
Men's Basketball
Representing  Greece
FIBA World Cup
Silver medal – second place2006 Japan
FIBA Stanković World Cup
Gold medal – first place2006 China
FIBA EuroBasket
Gold medal – first place 2005 Serbia & Montenegro
FIBA U21 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2005 Argentina Under-21
FIBA U19 World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Greece Under-19
FIBA Europe U18 Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Germany Under-18

Early years

Vasilopoulos was born in Maroussi, Athens, and grew up at his hometown of Ano Samiko Elis. He started to play basketball with the youth clubs of Ifitos Pyrgou. Later, he transferred to the youth clubs of Iraklis Pyrgou.[2]

Professional career

PAOK

Vasilopoulos began his pro career in 2001, with PAOK of the Greek League. He played with PAOK for four seasons, from 2001 to 2005. In the 2005 off season, he transferred from PAOK to joined Olympiacos Piraeus.

Olympiacos

Vasilopoulos was brought to Olympiacos in 2005, by George Garbolas, on a two-year contract. Garbolas believed in his abilities, and that he could help the team to win championships. On May 20, 2008, he extended his contract with Olympiacos for another 4 years, at a salary of €6 million euros net income.[3] With Olympiacos, he won the EuroLeague and Greek League championships in 2012.

Injury plagued seasons

On February 8, 2012, Vasilopoulos suffered a season-ending leg injury, just after he had returned from a previous back surgery.[4] He was released by Olympiacos. Vasilopoulos then signed with the Spanish League club Valladolid, in September 2013.[5] He was released by Valladolid in December 2013, after suffering a knee injury.[6]

Comeback from injuries

After being released by Valladolid in December 2013, Vasilopoulos then signed with the amateur level Greek club Ermis Piraeus, in April 2014. He then returned to play professionally again, in the Greek top-tier level GBL, with Nea Kifissia.[7] Vasilopoulos then moved to the Greek club Koroivos, for the 2015–16 season.

Vasilopoulos next moved to the Greek club Kolossos Rodou, for the 2016–17 season.[8] On July 26, 2017, Vasilopoulos signed with the Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, and played with them in the FIBA Champions League's 2017–18 season.[9]

AEK Athens

On January 19, 2018, Vasilopoulos moved to AEK Athens, for the rest of the season.[10] With AEK, he won the 2018 Final of the Greek Cup, as well as the FIBA Champions League championship.

Peristeri

On July 27, 2018, Vasilopoulos signed a 2-year contract with Peristeri of the Greek Basket League, where he eventually became the team captain. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game during the 2019-2020 season. On August 17, 2020, he re-signed with Peristeri.[11] On August 20, 2021, he officially parted ways with the club after three seasons and retired from professional basketball.

In December 2021, Vasilopoulos joined the coaching staff of Milan Tomić in Peristeri. In July 2022, he renewed his contract and stayed on as an assistant to his former national squad and Olympiacos teammate Vassilis Spanoulis. On June 24, 2023, he parted ways with the club.

National team career

Greek junior national team

Vasilopoulos played with Greek national junior teams at the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, and also at the 2005 FIBA Under-21 World Cup. With the Greek junior national teams, he also won the bronze medal at both the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, and at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.

Greek senior national team

Vasilopoulos was a member of the senior men's Greek national basketball team that won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2005, and the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He also competed with Greece at the EuroBasket 2007, the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2019 FIBA European World Cup qualification,[12] and the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Player profile

Early in his career, Vasilopoulos was compared to the long-time Olympiacos player Georgios Sigalas. He is a player that can play either the small forward or power forward positions, in both offense and defense. He can play in the post on offense, and can also pass well, and has 3 point range on his jump shot. In his playing prime, he was an excellent athlete, and was considered to be one of the best and most tenacious defensive players in Europe.

Career statistics

Regular season
Legend
  GP Games played  MPG  Minutes per game  FG%  Field goal percentage
 3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game
 PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high     Led the league

Note: Only games in the primary domestic competitions are included. Therefore, games in cup or European competitions are left out.

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2015–16 Koroivos GBL 2623.1.423.365.6885.42.61.2.46.0
2016–17 Kolossos Rodou GBL 2627.1.391.329.6985.92.01.1.57.7
2017–18 Aris GBL 1228.0.400.356.7335.81.81.2.77.8
2017–18 A.E.K. GBL 1116.1.333.250.8572.8.9.5.43.6
2018–19 Peristeri GBL 2629.1.429.382.8044.82.51.0.69.4

FIBA Champions League

[13] [14]

† Denotes seasons in which Panagiotis Vasilopoulos won the FIBA Champions League
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Aris 1127.4.469.520.6435.42.5.71.08.9
2017–18† A.E.K. 911.5.421.417.7503.0.7.4.73.0

References
  1. ESAKE.gr ΒΑΣΙΛΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ Παναγιώτης HEIGHT 2.05 (in Greek).
  2. gazzetta.gr Επίσημα στην ΑΕΚ ο Βασιλόπουλος! (in Greek)
  3. Sportdog.gr, Sportdog: Vassilopoulos red for ever!, accessed May 20, 2008.
  4. "Reds lose Vasilopoulos for the season". EuroLeague. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  5. ACB.com Panagiotis Vasilopoulos, refuerzo de Euroliga para el CB Valladolid. (in Spanish)
  6. Sportando.net Panagiotis Vasilopoulos leaves CB Valladolid, nears end of his career?
  7. Talkbasket.net Panagiotis Vassilopoulos beats serious injuries and returns to action after several years.
  8. Kolossos signed Panagiotis Vasilopoulos.
  9. "ARIS TABS PANAGIOTIS VASSILOPOULOS". Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
  10. Υπέγραψε ο Βασιλόπουλος (in Greek)
  11. "Panagiotis Vasilopoulos remains with Peristeri". Sportando. August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  12. Greece announce preliminary player list for games against Great Britain and Israel.
  13. "Aris at the Basketball Champions League 2017-2018".
  14. "AEK at the Basketball Champions League 2017-2018".
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