Nikos Pappas (basketball)

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nikos Pappas

| image = 1718698478309 20240617 PAPPAS Nikolaos EL 006.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| position = Shooting guard / small forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4.75

| weight_lb = 220

| league = Greek Basket League

| team = Ilysiakos

| number = 11

| nationality = Greek / Cypriot

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|7|11}}

| birth_place = Maroussi, Attica, Greece

| draft_year = 2012

| career_start = 2006–2023, 2024

| career_end =

| years1 = 2006–2008

| team1 = Panellinios

| years2 = 2008–2011

| team2 = Bilbao

| years3 = 2008–2009

| team3 = →Real Madrid B

| years4 = 2009–2011

| team4 = →Kolossos Rodou

| years5 = 2012

| team5 = PAOK Thessaloniki

| years6 = 2012–2013

| team6 = Panionios

| years7 = 2013–2020

| team7 = Panathinaikos

| years8 = 2020

| team8 = Hapoel Jerusalem

| years9 = 2021

| team9 = Zielona Góra

| years10 = 2021–2022

| team10 = AEK Athens

| years11 = 2022–2023

| team11 = Panathinaikos

| years12 = 2024–present

| team12 = Ilysiakos

| highlights = *5× Greek League champion (2014, 2017–2020)

5× Greek Cup winner (2014–2017, 2019)
All-Greek League First Team (2013)
Greek League Top Scorer (2013)
Greek All-Star Game MVP (2014)
4× Greek All-Star (2013, 2014, 2018, 2020)
Greek League Best Young Player (2013)
Albert Schweitzer Tournament MVP (2008)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|GRE}}}}

}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Nikos Pappas

| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|size=100%|MEP}}

| office = Member of the European Parliament
for Greece

| term_start = 16 July 2024

| term_end =

| party = Syriza

}}

Nikolaos "Nikos" Pappas (Greek: Νικόλαος "Νίκος" Παππάς, born July 11, 1990) is a Greek politician and former professional basketball player.{{cite web |title=Στην ΑΕΚ ο Νίκος Παππάς! |url=https://www.sport-fm.gr/article/basket/greece/aek-ekleise-ton-niko-pappa/4191062 |website=sport-fm.gr |access-date=17 July 2021 |location=Online |language=Greek}} Standing at {{height|m=1.95}}, he played at the shooting guard and small forward positions.[https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=000464#!careerstats PAPPAS, NIKOS HEIGHT: 1.96.]

He is currently serving as a Member of the European Parliament for the Syriza.{{Cite web |title=Ο Νίκος Παππάς εκλέχτηκε στο Ευρωκοινοβούλιο με τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ: Πόσες ψήφους πήρε (vid) {{!}} PLUS by gazzetta |url=https://www.gazzetta.gr/plus/2342184/o-nikos-pappas-eklehtike-sto-eyrokoinoboylio-me-ton-syriza-poses-psifoys-pire-vid |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=www.gazzetta.gr |language=el}}

Early years

Pappas is from Aidipsos in where he grew up. He started his career from the local club Syllas.Then, he transferred to Locros Atalanti.[https://www.naftemporiki.gr/sports/971991/basket-stin-aek-o-nikos-pappas/ Στην ΑΕΚ ο Νίκος Παππάς naftemporiki.gr]

His mother is Greek Cypriot from Famagusta.[https://cyprusbasket.net/portal/nikos-pappas-enas-igetis-misos-kyprios/ Νίκος Παππάς ένας ηγέτης μίσος Κύπριος cyprusbasket.net]

Professional career

File:Nikos Pappas.jpg]]

Pappas made his professional debut in the Greek League with Panellinios, during the 2006–07 season. He made his debut in Europe's continent-wide second-tier level competition, the EuroCup, with Panellinios, during the 2007–08 season. He signed a 5-year contract with the Spanish League club Bilbao Basket in 2008.

He was loaned to the reserve team of Real Madrid, Real Madrid B, of the Spanish 4th Division, for the 2008–09 season. He was loaned to the Greek League club Kolossos Rodou for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons. He was named the 2010 Greek League Best Young Player. In February 2012, he joined PAOK. He moved to Panionios for the 2012–13 season. With Panionios, he was the Greek League Top Scorer, and a member of the Greek League Best Five, in 2013.

=Panathinaikos (2013–2020)=

On 20 June 2013, Pappas joined the Greek club Panathinaikos. He was announced as a new player of Panathinaikos, for the following three seasons, along with his Panionios teammate Vlado Janković.[http://www.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/transactions/2013-14-signings/i/114404/8177 Euroleague.net PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS adds young guns Pappas, Jankovic.] During his second season with Panathinaikos, Pappas switched his jersey number from 15 to 11.

On 22 April 2015, after winning his first EuroLeague MVP of the Round award, after the third week's game of the EuroLeague playoffs, in which he scored 25 points against CSKA Moscow,[http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/5wk4kyfaupieyghy/playoffs-game-3-bwin-mvp-nikos-pappas-panathinaikos-athens Playoffs Game 3 bwin MVP: Nikos Pappas, Panathinaikos Athens.] it was officially announced that Pappas had renewed his contract with Panathinaikos, until 2018.[http://www.paobc.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=42433&lang=2 Expansion of cooperation with Pappas.] On 16 May 2015, Pappas suffered a torn ACL injury, and a tear of his meniscus, in a Greek League game against Kolossos Rodou, after falling awkwardly, after being fouled on a play by Vassilis Toliopoulos. He was operated on the day after, and his return to playing basketball was scheduled at 5–6 months time, at the earliest.[http://www.gazzetta.gr/basketball/article/745929/sok-me-pappa ΣΟΚ με Παππά! {{in lang|el}}.] On November 30, 2015, in a Greek League game against Lavrio, Pappas made his first re-appearance in an official game, 6-and-a-half months after his injury. He scored 2 points in the game.[http://widgets.baskethotel.com/site/esake/game/3256339/#mbt:241-t&0=1 GAME: LAVRIO 72 – 79 PANATHINAIKOS.]

During a press conference on July 3, 2020, it was confirmed by the team's new head coach Georgios Vovoras that Pappas was parting ways with the Athenian club after seven seasons.

=Hapoel Jerusalem (2020)=

On September 23, 2020, Pappas signed with Hapoel Jerusalem for the duration of the Basketball Champions League Final-8.{{cite news |title=Nikos Pappas signs with Hapoel Jerusalem |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/nikos-pappas-signs-with-hapoel-jerusalem/ |website=Sportando |access-date=September 23, 2020 |date=September 23, 2020|last1=Maggi |first1=Alessandro }}

=Basket Zielona Góra (2021)=

On February 23, 2021, he signed with Stelmet Zielona Góra of the Polish League.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/zielona-gora-announces-nikos-pappas/|title=Zielona Gora announces Nikos Pappas|last=|first=|date=February 23, 2021|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=February 24, 2021|last1=Borghesan |first1=Ennio Terrasi }}

=AEK (2021–2022)=

On August 16, 2021, Pappas signed with AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/nikos-pappas-joins-aek-athens/|title=Nikos Pappas joins AEK Athens|last=|first=|date=August 16, 2021|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 16, 2021|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }} He was constantly plagued by injuries and he also spent the final stretch of the season under suspension, after falling out with new coach Curro Segura, who took over the team after Stefanos Dedas signed with CSKA Moscow. In 12 league games, he averaged 12.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals, playing around 27 minutes per contest.

=Final season with Panathinaikos (2022–2023)=

After assisting the team in the pre-season, on December 3, 2022, Pappas was signed on for the rest of the 2022–2023 campaign in order to close out his playing career with his beloved Panathinaikos. He made his debut on December 11, 2022, in a match against AEK Athens.

Pappas appeared in a total of only four domestic league games, scoring one basket against Olympiacos in Game 4 of the Greek Basket League finals.

Reportedly, Pappas pledged to donate the entirety of his contract pay to the sanitation workers at the Athens Olympic Stadium complex.

On July 21, 2023, Panathinaikos officially bade farewell to the retiring player.

National team career

=Greek junior national team=

As a member of the junior national basketball teams of Greece, Pappas won the silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He was named the MVP of the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament,[http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nikos-Pappas-5167/ Draftexpress.com Pappas MVP of 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.] where he also helped lead Greece to defeat Team USA Under-18 during the tournament, by scoring 27 points in the game against the USA.[http://archiv.ast-basketball.de/typo3/fileadmin/templates/ast/Fotos/2008USA-GRE.html AST-basketball.de USA 79 : 91 GRE.] He also won the gold medal at the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he was also voted to the All-Tournament Team.[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.season_2008.compID_8aYeHlfuGF-mF5IqO8aFH1.coid_cD5xud6oJzsBclDqjuNWQ0.articleMode_on.html FIBAEurope.com All Tournament team.]

Pappas also played at the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit, where he helped the World Select Team to defeat Team USA 97–89.[https://web.archive.org/web/20141018150741/http://archive.usab.com/mens/hoopsummit/hsum_2009.html USABasketball.com XII Annual Nike Hoop Summit – 2009.] He also won the silver medal at the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Cup with Greece's junior national team, where he was also voted to the All-Tournament Team.{{Cite web |url=http://newzealand2009.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/09/u19men/news/p/eid/4034/nid/30987/sid/4034/article.html |title=FIBA.com NZL- The Best Selected. |access-date=2012-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307033427/http://newzealand2009.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/09/u19men/news/p/eid/4034/nid/30987/sid/4034/article.html |archive-date=2012-03-07 |url-status=dead }} Pappas also won the gold medal at the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship and the silver medal at the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team after leading the tournament in scoring.[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.roundID_7339.compID_UIfgjyQcGqk-fPlnl66Tj0.season_2010.coid_N,JcameLInQJ0bZbC8GS61.articleMode_on.html FIBAEurope.com – MVP Albicy Headlines All Tournament Team // 18 July 2010.]

=Greek senior national team=

Pappas first trained with the senior men's Greek national basketball team in 2010. In the summer of 2016, it was reported that Pappas was interested in playing with the senior Cypriot national basketball team, due to his mother's Greek Cypriot origins.[http://www.sdna.gr/news-english/article/203685/rumours-about-pappas-desire-play-cyprus-national-team Rumours about Pappas' desire to play for Cyprus national team.] However, in 2017, he was re-called to Greece's senior national team.

On 19 August 2017, he scored 22 points (career high with the senior Greek NT) in a friendly game against Great Britain, in London. He then played with Greece at the EuroBasket 2017.

Wheelchair basketball career

Since 2020, Pappas announced that he was to become member of Panathinaikos' wheelchair basketball team.{{Cite news |last=Βελονάκη |first=Ασπασία |date=10 August 2020 |title=Ο Νίκος Παππάς στον Παναθηναϊκό ΑμεΑ |work=AMNA |url=https://www.amna.gr/sport/article/480003/O-Nikos-Pappas-ston-Panathinaiko-AmeArn |access-date=14 April 2023}} This became official in February 2023,{{Cite web |date=20 February 2023 |title=Nikos Pappas joins Panathinaikos wheelchair basketball team |url=https://basketnews.com/news-185598-nikos-pappas-joins-panathinaikos-wheelchair-basketball-team.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=basketnews.com |language=en}} with Pappas becoming a player simultaneously active in both a basketball and wheelchair basketball team.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-20 |title=Με το No 666…ο Νίκος Παππάς! |url=https://www.pao1908.com/nea/65279_me-no-666o-nikos-pappas |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος |language=el}} He made his debut on 8 April 2023 in a game against PASKA, during which he scored 5 points.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=Έγραψε... μπασκετική ιστορία με Παππά! |url=https://www.pao1908.com/nea/65575_egrapse-mpasketiki-istoria-me-pappa |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος |language=el}}{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=Παππάς: Ντεμπούτο με την ομάδα μπάσκετ με αμαξίδιο του Παναθηναϊκού |url=https://www.protothema.gr/sports/article/1358786/pappas-debouto-me-tin-omada-basket-me-amaxidio-tou-panathinaikou/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=ProtoThema |language=el}}

Player profile

Pappas began his career playing as a combo guard with the junior national teams of Greece, and in his early club career. After maturing as a player, he became more of a pure shooting guard who can occasionally operate as a swingman.

Career statistics

=EuroLeague=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14

| style="text-align:left;"| Panathinaikos

| 13 || 2 || 8.6 || .467 || .385 || .750 || .8 || .5 || .3 || .1 || 4.8 || 3.5

| style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15