Lazaros Papadopoulos

Lazaros Papadopoulos (Greek: Λάζαρος Παπαδόπουλος; born June 3, 1980), is a retired Greek–Russian professional basketball player. He was listed at 7 ft (2.13 m) 265 lbs (120 kg), and played the center position.[1] Born in Krasnodar, Papadopoulos started his professional career with Iraklis. An All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2007, he played for several teams in Europe throughout his professional career, most notably winning the EuroLeague twice, in 2002 with Panathinaikos and in 2012 with Olympiacos. Papadopoulos represented Greece regularly, winning the gold medal in the 2005 EuroBasket, and the silver medal in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Lazaros Papadopoulos
Papadopoulos
Personal information
Born (1980-06-03) June 3, 1980
Krasnodar, USSR
NationalityGreek
Listed height7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight265 lb (120 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2002 / Undrafted
Playing career1996–2014
PositionCenter
Number6, 12, 14
Career history
1996–2001Iraklis
2001–2003Panathinaikos
2003–2004Iraklis
2004–2007Dynamo Moscow
2007–2008Real Madrid
2008–2009Fortitudo Bologna
2009–2011PAOK
2011Khimki
2011–2012Olympiacos
2012–2013PAOK
2014Canarias
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Greece
FIBA World Cup
2006 Japan
EuroBasket
2005 Serbia & Montenegro
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
1998 Bulgaria U-18 Team

Professional career

Papadopoulos began his professional career playing for the Greek club Iraklis in the 1996–97 season. After five years with Iraklis, he signed to play for the Greek League powerhouse Panathinaikos in 2001, and he stayed there until 2003. He then returned to Iraklis the following season, and stayed there for only one year, before next signing with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague A in the year 2004. In 2007, he joined the Spanish ACB League club Real Madrid. In 2008, he joined Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian League.[2]

He won the EuroLeague championship during the EuroLeague 2001–02 season, while he was with Panathinaikos, and also the EuroCup championship while he was with Dynamo Moscow in the year 2006. In 2007, his performances with Dynamo Moscow during the EuroLeague 2006–07 season, earned him a selection into the All-EuroLeague Second Team.[3] He joined PAOK for the 2009–10 season, and donated his salary to charity.[4]

In February 2011, he joined the Russian club Khimky.[5] In August 2011, he signed a one-year deal with Olympiacos.[6] With Olympiacos, he won the EuroLeague championship in 2012. On September 5, 2012, he returned after few seasons to his former club PAOK.[7] On February 6, 2014, Papadopoulos came back to Spain after signing with 1939 Canarias.[8] After only one game played, he parted ways with them.[9] He is known for his signature skyhook move.

National team career

Greek junior national team

As a member of the junior Greek national team, Papadopoulos won the bronze medal at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He also competed with the Greek junior team at the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.

Greek senior national team

With the senior Greek National Basketball Team Papadopoulos won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2005. With Greece, he also won the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Papadopulos was also a member of the Greek teams that competed at the EuroBasket 2001 and the EuroBasket 2007. He was also part of Greece's 2004 Summer Olympic Games team. He played a total of 103 games for Greece at the senior men's level, averaging 8.2 points per game.[10] While playing for the national team Papadopoulos won the Acropolis Tournament five times: in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Personal

Papadopoulos was born in Krasnodar, then-USSR, on June 3, 1980, as Lazar Popandopulo (Лазарь Попандопуло) to a Greek father and Russian mother.[11] In 1990, he came to Thessaloniki with his parents, Theodore and Marina, and younger sister Agapi. He got married in August 2002, and has two daughters, Daphne and Nefeli.[12]

References
  1. Lazarospapadopoulos.gr Height: 213 cm Weight: 120 kg.
  2. Real Madrid loans Papadopoulos to Fortitudo Bologna.
  3. "All-Euroleague team, MVP announced". Euroleague. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  4. "Paok announced Lazaros Papadopoulos". thehoop.com. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  5. Lazaros Papadopoulos is a new BC Khimki player.
  6. Olympiacos lands Papadopoulos.
  7. "Lazaros Papadopoulos is officially back in PAOK". Sportando. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  8. El Iberostar Tenerife ficha al pívot griego Lazaros Papadopoulos (in Spanish)
  9. "CB Canarias, Lazaros Papadopoulos part ways". Sportando.net. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  10. Σελίδα Αθλητή: Λάζαρος Παπαδόπουλος (in Greek). Hellenic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  11. Sports.ru Лазарос ПАПАДОПУЛОС: Не уверен, что в России я заиграл бы так же (in Russian).
  12. "Lazaros Papadopoulos". invictussportsgroup.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
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