Nikos Galis

Nikos Galis
Nikos Galis with Aris, in the late 1980s.
Personal information
Born (1957-07-23) July 23, 1957
Union City, New Jersey
Nationality Greek / American
Listed height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight 180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school Union Hill
(Union City, New Jersey)
College Seton Hall (1975–1979)
NBA draft 1979 / Round: 4 / Pick: 68th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Playing career 1979–1994
Position Shooting guard
Number 6, 4
Career history
1979–1992 Aris
1992–1994 Panathinaikos
Career highlights and awards
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
FIBA Hall of Fame as player

Nikolaos Georgalis (Greek: Νικόλαος Γεωργαλής; born July 23, 1957[1]), commonly known as either Nikos Galis (Greek: Νίκος Γκάλης), or Nick Galis, is a retired Greek professional basketball player. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991, is an inaugural member of the FIBA Hall of Fame[2] and was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors in 2008.[3] Galis is widely regarded as one of Europe's greatest scorers to ever play the game, as well as one of the all-time greatest players in FIBA international basketball history.[lower-alpha 1] In 2017, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[7]

Galis played the point guard position during his college basketball years at Seton Hall University, but turned into a shooting guard as a professional. He spent most of his career in Aris, before having a late stint with Panathinaikos. He is the EuroLeague's all-time leader in points per game (counting both FIBA Europe and Euroleague Basketball Company era games 1958 season–present), leading the competition in scoring eight times. In the premier European club scene, he reached the EuroLeague Final Four on four occasions, three consecutive times with Aris (1988, 1989, and 1990), and another one with Panathinaikos (1994). An eight-time Greek league champion, Galis is the Greek Championship's unofficial all-time leading scorer, in both career points scored and career scoring average, counting all league formats (since the 1963–64 season, official stats are recognized since the 1992–93 season).

Galis led the senior Greek national team to a EuroBasket gold medal in 1987, as well as to a EuroBasket silver medal in 1989, earning the tournament MVP honor in 1987, and being elected to the All-EuroBasket Team four times. Among his myriad accomplishments, he holds the EuroBasket record for highest career scoring average (31.2 points per game), and was the leading scorer of four EuroBasket tournaments in 1983, 1987, 1989, and 1991. In addition to that, he holds the FIBA World Cup record for highest career scoring average (33.5 points per game), as well as for most points ever scored in a single tournament, which he set at the 1986 FIBA World Cup. Following the stunning success of the EuroBasket title in 1987, he won the Mr. Europa Player of the Year and the Euroscar awards the same year.

Nicknamed "Iron Man",[8] "Nick The Greek",[9] and "The Gangster",[10] Galis is highly revered in Greece, where he is considered by many to be the greatest national athlete the country has ever seen.[11] His years at Aris lifted Greek basketball from relative obscurity, to global power status, with Galis being the figure that eventually inspired thousands of Greeks to take up the game.[12]

Early life and high school

Galis was born in Union City, New Jersey. The child of a poor immigrant family, from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Nisyros, Galis took up boxing in his early years, after his father, George Georgalis, who had also been a boxer in his youth. He was later persuaded to give up boxing by his mother, Stella Georgalis, who was terrified after each time that her son would return home from boxing training with a new facial injury. As a result, Galis started playing the sport of basketball instead of boxing. He attended Union Hill High School, in Union City, where he also played high school basketball.[4]

College career

After high school, Galis enrolled at Seton Hall University, where he played college basketball as a member of the Seton Hall Pirates. In his senior season, Galis saw his scoring average reach 27.5 points per game, which was third in the nation, behind Idaho State's Lawrence Butler (30.1 points per game) and Indiana State's Larry Bird (28.6 points per game),[13] including a 48-point outburst against the University of Santa Clara.[14]

Also in his senior year of college, Galis won the Haggerty Award (the New York City metro area's best player award), and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year award. The same year, he also played in the Pizza Hut All-American game, alongside Bird and Vinnie Johnson.[15] During his 4 year college career, Galis played in a total of 107 games and scored 1,651 points, for a career scoring average of 15.4 points per game.[16]

Galis' head coach at Seton Hall, Billy Raftery, would later state that Galis was the best player he ever coached. While at Seton Hall, Galis was a good friend and roommate of Italian-American professional basketball player Dan Callandrillo.[17] Galis was later inducted into the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame, in 1991.

College stats

[18]

Season Team Competition Games Played Field Goal% Free Throw% Rebounds Assists Points
1975–76
Seton Hall
NCAA D-I
24
47.5
70.4
1.1
1.8
3.2
1976–77
Seton Hall
NCAA D-I
29
38.1
81.9
2.3
4.8
12.6
1977–78
Seton Hall
NCAA D-I
27
52.1
82.6
2.4
4.5
17.3
1978–79
Seton Hall
NCAA D-I
27
57.6
82.6
3.5
3.9
27.5
Career Totals
Seton Hall
NCAA D-I
107
50.0
81.7
2.4
3.8
15.4

Professional career

Boston Celtics

After finishing his collegiate career in 1979, Galis signed with agent Bill Manon, who also managed Diana Ross. Manon did not have Galis work out with any NBA team.[19] Galis was eventually selected by the Boston Celtics in the 4th round of the 1979 NBA Draft, 68th overall. Due to a severe ankle injury that Galis suffered during the Celtics preseason training camp of the 1979–80 season,[20] the franchise was no longer interested in offering him a contract because Gerald Henderson had taken his place on the team, and his injury would keep him out for the foreseeable future.

Galis then decided to pursue a professional career in Greece's top-tier level Basket League. Later, while still playing in Greece, he would be offered NBA contracts by the Celtics and the New Jersey Nets. However, he turned the offers down, because at the time, and until 1989, FIBA did not have professional status, and consequently did not allow NBA players to compete at the national team level. Since playing with the senior Greek national team meant so much to him, he stayed in Greece. Celtics legend Red Auerbach later said that the single biggest mistake he ever made in his career was not keeping Galis.[21][22]

Aris Thessaloniki

Nikos Galis during a EuroLeague 1991–92 season game between Aris and Śląsk Wrocław.

After suffering an ankle injury in the Boston Celtics 1979–80 preseason training camp, which prevented him from receiving a contract with the Celtics, Galis made the move across the Atlantic, and signed to play with Aris of Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1979. Panathinaikos and Olympiacos had also shown some interest in signing the newcomer, but it was Aris' interest that was the most persuasive. His move to the country would eventually help Greek club basketball to reach a level of popularity that had never been previously imagined.

Averaging more than 30 points per game every season, Galis was the indisputable leader of Aris. While playing alongside other great players at Aris such as Panagiotis Giannakis and Slobodan Subotić (who was known in Greece as Lefteris Soumpotits), Galis won 8 Greek League championships (7 of them consecutively, and 3 undefeated, in the years 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991), 6 Greek Cups (4 of them consecutively, in the years 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1992), and led Aris to 3 consecutive appearances at the FIBA European Champions' Cup (now called EuroLeague) Final Four ('88, '89, and '90). In the one disappointment of an otherwise glittering career with Aris, all three of the FIBA European Champions' Cup Final Four appearances ended in defeat in the semifinals, thus depriving Galis of the opportunity to shine all the way on Europe's biggest club stage, at the FIBA European Champions' Cup Finals. The team's performances and general standard of play, however, won the hearts of most basketball fans in Greece. Indeed, cinemas and theaters in Greece would often reduce their admission prices on Thursday evenings, when Aris was playing games, as large segments of the country settled down to watch them on television.

After a disappointing season in 1991–92, Galis was forced to leave Aris.[23] The new management of the team, and the fact that the club was in decline, were the main causes for his departure. Galis, who adored the city of Thessaloniki, had originally insisted on remaining in the club and playing for the team, as he believed that he still had a lot to offer the club.

Panathinaikos Athens

Galis with Panathinaikos, during the 1992–93 season.

Galis moved to Athens in the summer of 1992, to play with Panathinaikos, and he was the player who then led the "Greens" to a club rebirth, after it had suffered through a long drought period, during which the historical team remained without titles. The previous season (1991–92) had been particularly disappointing for the club, with the team finishing eighth in the Greek league. As the team's captain, Galis inspired the young players of Panathinaikos, such as Fragiskos Alvertis and Nikos Oikonomou, and gradually brought back hope to the team's fans. So much so, as to the point that the club's then home arena, Glyfada Indoor Hall, was always overcrowded. In that season (1992–93), Panathinaikos finished second in the Greek league, and won the Greek Cup, which was the seventh Greek Cup title for Galis.

The following season (1993–94), Galis was the FIBA European League (now called EuroLeague) Top Scorer averaging 23.8 points per game in 21 games, and passer, averaging 4.7 assists per game, in 21 games. In the decisive game 3 of the EuroLeague quarterfinals, against the reigning FIBA European League champions, Limoges, Galis truly led Panathinaikos into a new club era, with their qualification to the 1994 FIBA European League Final Four, by scoring 30 points on 75% field goal shooting in the game. The "Greens" eventually finished in 3rd place in the FIBA European League that season, after losing in the semifinal, but it was still a success they had never reached before. Galis scored 30 points in the third place game against FC Barcelona, leading all scorers in the game.

In his third season in Panthinaikos (1994–95), Galis teamed up with Panagiotis Giannakis and Žarko Paspalj, to make a strong effort to win the FIBA European League. Galis was the player who led Panathinaikos to the Top 16 group, as he prevented the elimination of Panathinaikos by Budivelnik Kiev, with a team-high 23 points in the decisive second-leg victory. He was also the leader of the team in the Greek Cup win against Olympiacos, at Sporting Sports Arena. But Galis' career controversially ended on October 18, 1994,[24] a few games after the start of the Greek League 1994–95 season. Kostas Politis, Panathinaikos' head coach at the time, chose not to include Galis in the starting line-up of a Greek League game against Ambelokipi. Galis left the court, and never again returned to playing action.[25] His last game in professional basketball, was as a player of Panathinaikos, in a game against AO Dafni, on October 12, 1994. In the game, Galis scored 8 points in 35 minutes of playing time, as his team won in a blowout, 82–60.

Career pro club statistics

[26][27][28]

Competition Games Played Points Scored Scoring Average Ref.
Greek League
385
12,714
33.0
[29]
Greek Cup
55
1,935
35.2
FIBA EuroLeague (1st Tier)
&
FIBA Korać Cup (3rd Tier)
148
4,846
32.7
[30]
Career Totals
588
19,495
33.2

Greek League season by season scoring stats

  • (Counting regular season only)

[31][32]

Season Competition Games Played Points Scored Scoring Average Club
1979–80
Greek League
22
692
31.4
Aris
1980–81
Greek League
26
1,143
44.0
Aris
1981–82
Greek League
22
828
37.6
Aris
1982–83
Greek League
24
869
36.2
Aris
1983–84
Greek League
23
948
41.2
Aris
1984–85
Greek League
24
891
37.1
Aris
1985–86
Greek League
24
944
39.3
Aris
1986–87
Greek League
18
715
39.7
Aris
1987–88
Greek League
18
651
36.2
Aris
1988–89
Greek League
17
641
37.7
Aris
1989–90
Greek League
23
893
38.8
Aris
1990–91
Greek League
23
813
35.3
Aris
1991–92
Greek League
26
835
32.1
Aris
1992–93
Greek League
26
615
23.6
Panathinaikos
1993–94
Greek League
33
622
18.8
Panathinaikos
1994–95
Greek League
4
51
12.8
Panathinaikos

National team career

On 20 November 1983, while playing in an exhibition game at the Demetria Tournament '83, with the senior Greek national basketball team, against the North Carolina Tar Heels, at Alexandreio Melathron, Greece's shooting guard Galis, while being guarded by North Carolina's shooting guard, Michael Jordan, scored 24 points during the game.[33][34]

Galis next led the Greek national team to the EuroBasket 1987 gold medal. Averaging 37.0 points per game during the tournament, he was named the MVP of the tournament, after scoring 40 points in the final against the Soviet Union national basketball team and its legendary player, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, for a 103–101 victory. Galis also led Greece to the second place at the EuroBasket 1989, averaging 35.6 points per game. Galis is most remembered from that tournament, for a stunning effort against the Soviet team led by Marčiulionis, and its other star player, Arvydas Sabonis, in the semifinal game. He scored 45 out of his team's 81 total points in a dramatic, last-gasp 81–80 victory.[35] The Greek team then settled for a second-place finish, after losing against the ever-dominant Yugoslavian national basketball team in the tournament's final.

With the senior men's Greek national team, Galis averaged 33.3 points per game at the EuroBasket 1983, 33.5 points per game at the 1986 FIBA World Championship, 37.0 points per game at the EuroBasket 1987, 35.6 points per game at the EuroBasket 1989, and 32.4 points per game at the EuroBasket 1991. He won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 1987, and the silver medal at the EuroBasket 1989. He was the leading scorer of the EuroBasket four times, was a four-time All-EuroBasket Team member, and he was named the MVP of the EuroBasket 1987.

He was also the leading scorer of the 1986 FIBA World Championship, where he led all players in scoring average, with 33.5 points per game. In that tournament, he had a 53-point outburst against the Panamanian national basketball team. In total, Galis played in 168 games with the senior Greek national team, in which he scored a total of 5,129 points, for a scoring average of 30.5 points per game.[36]

Greek senior national team career statistics

Competition Games Played Points Scored Scoring Average Ref.
FIBA International Competitions
(Greek National Team)
168
5,129
30.5
[37]

Scoring statistics with the senior Greek National Team in FIBA rules games

[27]

Tournament Games Played Points Scored Scoring Average
1980 Olympics Qualification
4
78
19.5
FIBA International Tournament (1980–89)
28
853
30.5
Friendlies (1981–91)
18
450
25.0
EuroBasket 1981 Qualification
8
225
28.1
EuroBasket 1981
8
161
20.1
1982 Balkan Games
4
97
24.3
EuroBasket 1983 Qualification
9
283
31.4
EuroBasket 1983
7
233
33.3
1984 Olympics Qualification
9
288
32.0
EuroBasket 1985 Qualification
5
178
35.6
1984 Balkan Games
3
89
29.7
1986 FIBA World Championship Qualification
6
206
34.3
1986 Acropolis International Tournament
3
108
36.0
1986 FIBA World Championship
10
335
33.5
1986 Balkan Games
3
117
39.0
1987 Acropolis International Tournament
3
112
37.3
EuroBasket 1987
8
296
37.0
1988 Olympics Qualification
9
254
28.2
EuroBasket 1989 Qualification
4
146
36.5
1989 Acropolis International Tournament
3
113
37.7
EuroBasket 1989
5
178
35.6
1990 Acropolis International Tournament
1
8
8.0
EuroBasket 1991 Qualification
3
134
44.7
1991 Acropolis International Tournament
3
63
21.0
EuroBasket 1991
5
162
32.4
Career Totals
169
5,167
30.6

Galis' top 10 scoring FIBA rules games with the senior Greek National Team

[27]

Points Scored Date Opponents Final Game Score Tournament
53
7/5/1986Panama110–811986 FIBA World Championship
52
9/10/1984Poland88–89EuroBasket 1985 Qualification
49
7/20/1986China111–1121986 FIBA World Championship
48
1/4/1981Finland101–92FIBA International Tournament
48
11/19/1989Denmark113–91Friendly
47
11/29/1984Bulgaria91–841986 FIBA World Championship Qualification
47
5/23/1982Belgium97–72EuroBasket 1983 Qualification
46
6/20/1986Netherlands104–881986 Acropolis International Tournament
46
11/25/1989Romania97–77EuroBasket 1991 Qualification
45
6/24/1989Soviet Union81–80EuroBasket 1989

Highest scoring single games by competition

Points Scored Competition Game Year Ref.
53 points FIBA World Cup Greece
vs.
Panama
1986 [38]
46 points FIBA EuroBasket Greece
vs.
Sweden
1983 [39]
50 points FIBA EuroLeague
(1st tier)
Aris
vs.
Olimpia Milano
1988
57 points FIBA Korać Cup
(3rd tier)
Aris
vs.
Reyer Venezia Mestre
1981
62 points Greek League Ionikos Nikaias
vs.
Aris
1981
52 points Greek Cup Aris
vs.
Panellinios
1987
48 points NCAA Division I Seton Hall Pirates
vs.
Santa Clara Broncos
1978

Player profile

It has been noted that Galis was not only a legendary scorer, but that he was also a great play maker and passer. The majority of his points scored came inside the paint, due to his penetrating ability.[40] Galis' mid-range jumper was one of his biggest offensive weapons, being able to consistently pull it off under pressure. His post game was excellent, as he used his strength and leaping ability to counter his lack of height. Another enormous competitive advantage that Galis possessed was his incredible stamina, which was due to his exemplary physical condition. This led to his being given the nickname of "Iron Man". At the EuroBasket 1987, he was never once substituted out of any game after the second day of the competition, completing 7 games in 9 days.[40]

Post-playing career

Since his official retirement on September 29, 1995, and up until early 2006, Galis was the owner of a summer basketball camp in Chalkidiki, Greece. The basketball camp is listed at the Athens Stock Exchange.[41] As a token of appreciation for his contribution to Greek sport, Galis was chosen to be the first torch bearer in the final round of the Olympic Flame, for the Athens 2004 Olympics. Galis entered the stadium at the conclusion of the Opening Ceremony, and set off the procession of the flame to the altar.

In September 2007, Galis was elected as a member of the first class of the FIBA Hall of Fame, which includes the best basketball players in the history of the game internationally. Galis was inducted as a player. Bill Russell of the famous Boston Celtics dynasty was another one of the 16 inaugural player inductees. Galis is also a member of the Eurobasket.com website's European Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted as a player. Galis is married to Eleni Panagiotou, and he has one daughter, named Stella.

In May 2013, his former club team Aris, renamed their home arena to Nick Galis Hall, organized a celebration of Galis' life and career, and retired his number 6 Aris jersey. The event was attended by many of his teammates and opponents from the 1980s and 1990s. Attendees included Greek legends such as the majority of the 1987 EuroBasket gold medal winning team, as well as international stars who played against Galis over the years, such as Dino Rađja, Jordi Villacampa, and Doron Jamchi.

On April 1, 2017, it was announced that Galis will be inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class.[42] Galis was accepted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2017. He became one of the very few basketball players from around the world, that joined the Hall of Fame, without having ever played in the NBA. On June 14, 2016, exactly 29 years after Greece won the EuroBasket in 1987, the biggest basketball arena in Greece, OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall was named 'Nikos Galis' in his honour.

Quotes about Galis

"If I'm the devil's son, then Galis is the devil himself.", Dražen Petrović

"If Galis wants to score, he will score no matter who's defending him.", Arvydas Sabonis

"I never thought that there was such a good offensive player in Europe, and especially in Greece.", Michael Jordan

"Although Drazen (i.e. Petrović) is my brother, for the best athlete of 1987, I voted for Galis."', Aco Petrović

"I had given specific instructions on how to defend against the other 4 players. As for Nikos, we just had to sit down and pray!", Vojcek Kricovski, CSKA Moscow coach.

"There is only one way I can think of to stop Nikos from scoring! Lock him up in the hotel!", Roud Harevain, Maccabi Tel-Aviv head coach.[43]

Awards and accomplishments

[44][45][46]
Galis won numerous titles and awards during his career and had many memorable single game performances. The following are some of them:

College

Pro career

Titles:

  • Greek League Champion: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
  • Greek Cup Winner: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993
    (In total, he won 15 trophies in his pro club career as a player.)

Personal awards and achievements:

Greek National Team

References

  • Arbel, Y. , "Iron Man Galis", November 08, 2006, FIBA Europe official website.
  • Eurobasket.com, website about basketball.
  • BASKET ARIS - Unofficial fan site dedicated to ARIS B.C.
  • Hellenic Basketball Federation official website.
  • FIBA Europe official website.
  • Rabotas, G. (2003). Nikos Galis, A Legend like I have known him. Athens: Psychogios. ISBN 960-87979-0-5.

References

  1. Thedraftreview.com Nick Galis Birthplace: Union City, New Jersey.
  2. FIBA Hall Of Fame Class of 2007
  3. "Euroleague official website, Experts decide European Club Basketball's 50 greatest contributors".
  4. 1 2 Psarakis, Yannis, Fibaeurope.com, Nikos Galis - Europe's Greatest - Ever Scorer
  5. Stankovic, Vladimir, Euroleague.net, Nikos Galis, a scoring machine
  6. Fibaeurope.com, European legends pay tribute To Galis
  7. Tracy McGrady, Bill Self, Rebecca Lobo headline 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame class.
  8. FIBAEurope.com "The Iron Man".
  9. Interbasket.net Galis
  10. Nikos Galis Aris
  11. FIBA.com, Greece-Nick Galis.
  12. Maguire, Ken, Nytimes.com, Basking in a Fonder Farewell, 19 Years Later
  13. "Magic Keeps Bird In Hand". Sports Illustrated. 1980-03-13.
  14. Cable Car Classic Records.
  15. "Galis and Larry Bird (Pizza Hut All American Game 1979)". Youtube. 2010-03-10.
  16. Nick Galis College Stats.
  17. For 'insane' Nick Galis, journey to Naismith Hall of Fame took off at Seton Hall.
  18. Nick Galis Position: Guard 6-2 (188cm) College Stats.
  19. Nikos Galis, Greece, Player Profiles by Interbasket.net
  20. 2017 Hall of Fame: Euroleague legend, cast of NCAA standouts get their due.
  21. Fiba official website, Tribute to Nikos Galis
  22. http://www.celticslife.com/2011/10/top-5-celtics-that-never-were-5-nick.html
  23. Rabotas, G., Nikos Galis, p. 137
  24. Gazetta.gr Ήταν απλά ο καλύτερος (in Greek).
  25. Rabotas, G., Nikos Galis, p. 195
  26. FIBAEurope.com Nikos Galis – Europe’s Greatest-ever Scorer.
  27. 1 2 3 basket.gr Ονοματεπώνυμο: ΓΚΑΛΗΣ ΝΙΚΟΣ (in Greek).
  28. sansimera.gr Νίκος Γκάλης 1957– (in Greek).
  29. Τα “κανόνια” του ελληνικού Πρωταθλήματος: Νίκος Γκάλης (in Greek).
  30. Nick Galis, ο μύθος! (video) (in Greek).
  31. sentragoal.gr Ο Γκάλης... κρατάει ακόμα! (in Greek).
  32. sports.pathfinder.gr Ο Γκάλης και οι άλλοι (in Greek). Archived 2012-06-05 at the Wayback Machine.
  33. Nick Galis versus Michael Jordan.
  34. GREECE - NORTH CAROLINA (JORDAN vs GALIS, Oct. 20, 1983).
  35. FIBA Europe official website on EuroBasket 1989 FIBA Europe.com
  36. ΓΚΑΛΗΣ ΝΙΚΟΣ (in Greek)>
  37. ΓΚΑΛΗΣ ΝΙΚΟΣ (in Greek).
  38. Nick Galis, ο μύθος! (video) (in Greek).
  39. MOST POINTS SCORED.
  40. 1 2 Arbel, Y. ,"Iron Man Galis", November 08, 2006, FIBA Europe official website
  41. Official website of Galis's basketball camp
  42. Tracy McGrady, Jerry Krause, Rebecca Lobo headline Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class.
  43. EuroBasket.com
  44. Hellenic Basketball Federation official website
  45. FIBAEurope.com on Galis' career
  46. luckyshow.org on Galis' greatest scoring games
  47. NICHOLAS GALIS.
  48. SETON HALL . Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  49. Τα “κανόνια” του ελληνικού Πρωταθλήματος: Νίκος Γκάλης (in Greek).
  50. ΓΚΑΛΗΣ ΝΙΚΟΣ (in Greek).

Notes

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