Charis Markopoulos

Markopoulos began playing the sport of basketball with the youth system of Iraklis Thessaloniki, in Greece. He was considered to be one of the most talented youth players of his generation in Europe,[https://basketbook.gr/el/χαρησ-μαρκοπουλοσ-το-μεγαλυτερο-ταλεντο-τησ-γενιασ-του ΧΑΡΗΣ ΜΑΡΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ: ΤΟ ΜΕΓΑΛΥΤΕΡΟ ΤΑΛΕΝΤΟ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ {{in lang|el}}.][https://www.koroibosbc.gr/haris-markopoylos Χάρης Μαρκόπουλος {{in lang|el}}.][https://www.sdna.gr/mpasket/basket-league/article/476910/i-mayri-nyxta-sto-voreio-polo-kai-o-nikitis-xaris-markopoylos «Η μαύρη νύχτα στο Βόρειο Πόλο και ο νικητής Χάρης Μαρκόπουλος…»{{in lang|el}}.] and was considered by some basketball analysts to possibly be the next Nikos Galis.[https://www.sdna.gr/mpasket/article/17281/i-eksomologisi-toy-xari Η εξομολόγηση του Χάρη {{in lang|el}}.][https://bluearena.gr/blog/2020/06/28/charis-markopoylos-i-megali-peripeteia-poy-archise-sti-soyidia/ Χάρης Μαρκόπουλος: Η μεγάλη περιπέτεια, που άρχισε στη Σουηδία… {{in lang|el}}.] With Iraklis' Under-18 junior club, along with his teammate Lazaros Papadopoulos, Markopoulos won the Greek Under-18 Championship, during the 1997–98 season.

Markopoulos also won the bronze medal with Greece, at the 2000 FIBA Under-18 EuroBasket. He also won the silver medal with Greece at the 2000 AST World Under-18 Tournament, where he was named the MVP of the tournament, after leading Greece to a win over Team USA, in the tournament's semifinals. After that, Markopoulos was recruited to play college basketball in the NCAA Division I, by the University of North Carolina.[http://www.interbasket.net/greek/Prospects/prospects.htm HARIS MARKOPOULOS From Matt Blair for HH:] However, Markopoulos opted instead to stay in Greece.

Markopoulos played professional club basketball with the Greek top-tier level Greek Basket League clubs Iraklis Thessaloniki, Makedonikos Neapolis, and PAOK Thessaloniki. He also played in the European 2nd-tier level FIBA Saporta Cup competition, during the 1999–00 season, and in the European top-tier level, FIBA SuproLeague competition, during the 2000–01 season, as a member of Iraklis.

Markopoulos' basketball playing career ended prematurely, due to complications from Guillain–Barré syndrome,[http://www.interbasket.net/greek/Prospects/prospects.htm HARIS MARKOPOULOS.] that he suffered while he played with Iraklis. At age 19, due to the illness, Markopoulos became paralyzed, during a flight from Thessaloniki to Luleå, on 7 February 2001.[http://www.sdna.gr/mpasket/article/17281/i-eksomologisi-toy-xari sdna.gr Η εξομολόγηση του Χάρη {{in lang|el}}.] Markopoulos eventually recovered the ability to move, and was able to play basketball again.[https://www.in.gr/2001/02/23/sports/kalytera-o-xaris-markopoylos/ Καλύτερα ο Χάρης Μαρκόπουλος {{in lang|el}}.] However after that, his playing career was greatly negatively affected, and he was no longer the same level of player that he had been previously. At the age of 23, he retired from playing professional basketball, after competing with Xanthi, in the Greek 2nd Division, during the 2004–05 season.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Former Canada captain de Guzman savouring life in New York Red Bulls front office |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/former-canada-captain-guzman-savouring-175339250.html |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-CA}}

Markopoulos was a member of the junior national teams of Greece. With Greece's Under-18 junior national team, he won the bronze medal at the 2000 FIBA Under-18 EuroBasket. He averaged 13.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game at the tournament.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160918175940/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/markopoulos/pid//_//players.html Charalambis MARKOPOULOS (GRE) participated in 1 FIBA / FIBA Zones events.]

He also won the silver medal at the 2000 Albert Schweitzer World Under-18 Tournament, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team,[http://www.sport24.gr/Basket/OmadesBasket/A1Olympiakos/misan-nikagkmpatse-o-aiverson-toy-olympiakou.4250629.html Μισάν Νικαγκμπάτσε, ο Άιβερσον του Ολυμπιακού! {{in lang|el}}.] and was also named the MVP of the tournament.[http://www.interbasket.net/greek/Prospects/prospects.htm HARIS MARKOPOULOS From Matt Blair for HH:] In the AST's semifinals, Markopoulos led Greece to a win over Team USA.

After he retired from playing professional club basketball, Markopoulos became a professional basketball coach. He became the head coach of the Greek Basket League club Koroivos Amaliadas in 2014.[http://www.a1basket.gr/2014/07/charis-markopoulos-is-korivos-amaliadas-coach.html Charis Markopoulos agreed terms with Korivos Amaliadas.][http://www.a1basket.gr/2015/07/charis-markopoulos-renews-with-korivos.html Charis Markopoulos renews with Korivos Amaliadas.] In 2016, he became the head coach of the Greek club Doxa Lefkadas.

Markopoulos' father, Soulis, is a former professional basketball player and coach.[http://www.paokbc.gr/en/news/interviews/3814 The first match up: Soulis Vs Charis Markopoulos.] His father was inducted into the Greek League Hall of Fame, as a coach, in 2023.

{{Reflist}}

• {{FIBA|new_id=133764|name=Charalampis Markopoulos|old_id=34422}}
• [https://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.season_2001.roundID_2581.playerID_34422.teamID_1341.html Charalambis Markopoulos] at FIBA Europe
• [https://basketball.realgm.com/player/wd/Summary/153359 Charalambis Markopoulos] at RealGM.com
• {{Basketball-Reference.com international player|charis-markopoulos-1|Charis Markopoulos}}
• [http://www.aboveaverage.gr/player/2114 Charis Markopoulos] at Aboveaverage.gr
• [http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Charis-Markopoulos-35404/ Charis Markopoulos] at Draftexpress.com
• [https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Charis-Makropoulos/19972 Charis Makropoulos] player profile at Eurobasket.com
• [https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Haris-Markopoulos/24570 Haris Markopoulos] player profile at Eurobasket.com
• [https://basketball.eurobasket.com/coach/Haris-Markopoulos/17888 Haris Markopoulos] coach profile at Eurobasket.com
• [http://www.interbasket.net/greek/Prospects/prospects.htm Interbasket.net Hellenic Hoops Prospects]
• [https://www.basket.gr/playerview/?playercode=806&playername=ΜΑΡΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ%20ΧΑΡΑΛΑΜΠΗΣ&height=&position=&birthday=1982-01-20 Hellenic Basketball Federation Profile] {{in lang|el}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Markopoulos, Charis}}

Category:1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Greek sportsmen

Category:Basketball players from Thessaloniki

Category:Doxa Lefkadas B.C. coaches

Category:Greek basketball coaches

Category:Greek men's basketball players

Category:Iraklis Thessaloniki B.C. coaches

Category:Iraklis Thessaloniki B.C. players

Category:Koroivos B.C. coaches

Category:Makedonikos B.C. players

Category:P.A.O.K. BC players

Category:Point guards

Category:Promitheas Patras B.C. coaches

Category:Shooting guards

Category:Xanthi B.C. players