Lazaros Papadopoulos

Lazaros Papadopoulos
Λάζαρος Παπαδόπουλος

Papadopoulos
Personal information
Born June 3, 1980
Krasnodar, USSR
Nationality Greek
Listed height 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight 275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
Pro career 1996–present
Position Center
Career history
1996–2001 Iraklis (Greece)
2001–2003 Panathinaikos (Greece)
2003–2004 Iraklis (Greece)
2004–2007 Dynamo Moscow (Russia SL)
2007–2008 Real Madrid (Spain)
2008–2009 Fortitudo Bologna (Italy)
2009–2011 PAOK (Greece)
2011 Khimki (Russia PBL)
2011–2012 Olympiacos (Greece)
2012–2013 PAOK (Greece)
2014 Canarias (Spain)
Career highlights and awards
  • 2x Euroleague champion (2002, 2012)
  • All-Euroleague Second Team (2007)

Lazaros Papadopoulos (Greek: Λάζαρος Παπαδόπουλος; born June 3, 1980), is a Greek professional basketball player. He is 7 ft 1 (2.15 m) 265 lbs.[1] and he plays at the center position.

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 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 comes back to Spain after signing for CB 1939 Canarias.[8] After only one game he parted ways with them.[9]

Greek 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. With the senior Greek National Basketball Team Papadopoulos won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2005 and he was voted the best center of the tournament.

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.

Personal

Papadopoulos was born in Krasnodar, then-USSR, on June 3, 1980, as Lazar Popandopulo (Лазарь Попандопуло) to Greek father and Russian mother.[10] 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.[11]

Awards and accomplishments

Pro career

Greek national team

References

External links