Basketball PlayerGreekOlympic PlayerNBA Player

Kostas Papanikolaou

Kostas Papanikolaou is a Greek professional basketball player, two-time EuroLeague champion with Olympiacos, and a renowned European defensive player.

1. Early Career

Kostas Papanikolaou began his basketball journey with the youth teams of Proteas Grevenon and Aris in his hometown of Trikala. He made his professional debut in the Greek Basket League with Aris during the 2008-09 season. His early talent was recognized with several accolades, including being named the MVP of the Greek Youth All-Star Game in 2009. In the same year, he also earned the title of Greek League Best Young Player. Additionally, he was named the MVP of the Panhellenic Youth Championship in 2009, where he was also selected to the All-Panhellenic Youth Championship Team and recognized as the Panhellenic Youth Championship Best Defender.

2. Professional Career

Papanikolaou's professional career has seen him play for several prominent clubs in Europe and the NBA, achieving significant success and developing into a versatile player.

2.1. Olympiacos (2009-2013)

On September 14, 2009, Papanikolaou signed a five-year contract with Olympiacos, valued at 1.30 M EUR in net income. Olympiacos secured his rights by paying a buyout fee of 950.00 K EUR to his former club, Aris. His contract with Olympiacos included an NBA buyout clause set at 1.00 M EUR.

During his first tenure with Olympiacos, Papanikolaou played a crucial role in the team's success. He helped the club win both the EuroLeague and the Greek Basket League championships in 2012. In the 2012 EuroLeague Final, he was the EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer. His impressive performance continued into the 2012-13 EuroLeague season, where he was voted the EuroLeague Rising Star. He capped off this period by winning another EuroLeague championship with Olympiacos in the 2012-13 season.

2.2. FC Barcelona (2013-2014)

On July 20, 2013, Papanikolaou made a move to the Spanish League club FC Barcelona, signing a four-year deal. Barcelona acquired him by paying a transfer buyout fee of 1.50 M EUR to Olympiacos. His contract with Barcelona was valued at 5.50 M EUR in net income over the first three years, with an optional fourth year at an additional salary. This contract also contained NBA buyout clauses: 1.10 M EUR for 2014 and 750.00 K EUR for 2015. In his single season with FC Barcelona, he contributed to the team winning the 2013-14 Spanish Liga ACB championship. He also won the Catalan League in 2013.

2.3. NBA Career (2014-2016)

Papanikolaou's journey to the NBA began on June 28, 2012, when he was selected with the 48th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. His draft rights were subsequently acquired by the Portland Trail Blazers on July 16, 2012, as part of a trade that sent Raymond Felton to the Knicks. On July 10, 2013, his rights were again traded, this time to the Houston Rockets, in exchange for Thomas Robinson.

On September 23, 2014, Papanikolaou officially signed with the Houston Rockets. Despite an injury-affected rookie season, where he averaged 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game coming off the bench, he participated in the Rising Stars Challenge of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game on February 13, 2015. The Rockets decided to pick up his team option for the 2015-16 season.

On July 20, 2015, Papanikolaou was part of a major trade that sent him, Joey Dorsey, Nick Johnson, Pablo Prigioni, a 2016 first-round draft pick, and cash considerations to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Ty Lawson and a 2017 second-round draft pick. He was initially waived by the Nuggets on September 25, 2015. However, he re-signed with Denver on November 5, 2015, and made his debut for the team that same night. He was waived again by the Nuggets on January 7, 2016, before his salary became fully guaranteed, a move often made for salary cap adjustments.

2.4. Return to Olympiacos (2016-present)

On January 20, 2016, Papanikolaou returned to Olympiacos, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal, marking his second stint with the club. He continued to be a key player for the team, leading to multiple contract extensions. On July 5, 2018, he and Olympiacos agreed to a new three-year contract extension. He signed another three-year extension on September 22, 2020. Most recently, on July 6, 2023, Papanikolaou renewed his contract with the Greek club through 2026. He has served as the team captain, leading Olympiacos to the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2023.

3. National Team Career

Kostas Papanikolaou has been a consistent presence in the Greek national basketball system, representing his country at both junior and senior levels.

3.1. Greek Junior National Teams

Papanikolaou achieved significant success with Greece's junior national basketball teams. He won a silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and followed it with a gold medal at the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. In 2009, he earned a silver medal at the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. His most decorated junior tournament was the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he won a gold medal and was named both to the All-Tournament Team and the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He continued his success by winning another silver medal at the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship with Greece's junior national team, where he was again selected to the All-Tournament Team.

3.2. Greek Senior National Team

Papanikolaou made his debut with the senior men's Greek national basketball team in August 2009, during a friendly game. Since then, he has regularly represented Greece in major international tournaments. His appearances include:

  • EuroBasket 2011
  • 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament
  • EuroBasket 2013
  • 2014 FIBA World Cup
  • EuroBasket 2015
  • EuroBasket 2017
  • 2019 FIBA World Cup
  • EuroBasket 2022

As of his last recorded statistics, Papanikolaou has appeared in 134 games for the senior national side, accumulating a total of 842 points.

4. Player Profile and Playing Style

Kostas Papanikolaou is recognized for his versatility and well-rounded game, enabling him to play comfortably across the shooting guard (positions 2), small forward (positions 3), and power forward (positions 4) positions. He is a smart off-ball player who combines speed and size effectively on the court.

Offensively, Papanikolaou is an effective shooter from three-point range. He also excels at attacking close-outs and finishing strongly at the rim. His left-handed shooting adds a unique dimension to his offensive repertoire.

Defensively, Papanikolaou is considered an excellent defender. His long legs and elusive abilities contribute to his defensive prowess. He was named the Greek League Best Defender in 2017 and also received the same honor in the Spanish ACB League in 2014. Beyond his individual skills, Papanikolaou has also been recognized for his leadership qualities, notably captaining Olympiacos to the EuroLeague Championship Game in 2023.

5. Awards and Accomplishments

Kostas Papanikolaou has amassed a significant collection of team titles and individual accolades throughout his professional and national team career.

5.1. Club Titles

  • EuroLeague
    • Champion (2×): 2012, 2013 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
    • Finalist (2×): 2017, 2023 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
    • Final Four Participation (8×): 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024 (with Olympiacos Piraeus), 2014 (with FC Barcelona)
  • Liga ACB
    • Champion: 2014 (with FC Barcelona)
  • Catalan League
    • Champion: 2013 (with FC Barcelona)
  • Greek League
    • Champion (4×): 2012, 2016, 2022, 2023 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
    • Finalist (6×): 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2024 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
  • Greek Cup
    • Winner (5×): 2010, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
    • Finalist (3×): 2012, 2013, 2018 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
  • Greek Super Cup
    • Winner (3×): 2022, 2023, 2024 (with Olympiacos Piraeus)
  • Spanish Cup
    • Finalist: 2014 (with FC Barcelona)
  • Spanish Supercup
    • Finalist: 2013 (with FC Barcelona)

5.2. European Individual Awards

  • EuroLeague Rising Star: 2013
  • EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer: 2012
  • 2× EuroLeague MVP of the Round
  • Eurohoops.com's EuroLeague Best Defender: 2018
  • 5× EuroLeague Best Defensive Players: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
  • Brainbasketball.com's All-Euroleague Defensive Team: 2020

5.3. Domestic Individual Awards

  • Liga ACB Defensive Player of the Year: 2014
  • Greek League Finals MVP: 2012
  • 2× Greek League Domestic Player of the Year: 2012, 2023
  • 5× All-Greek League First Team: 2012, 2013, 2017, 2023, 2024
  • 2× All-Greek League Second Team: 2018, 2022
  • Greek League Best Defender: 2017
  • 5× Greek League All-Star: 2013, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
  • 2× Greek League Best Young Player: 2009, 2012
  • Eurobasket.com's All-Greek League Player of the Year: 2012
  • 5× Eurobasket.com's All-Greek League Domestic Team: 2012, 2013, 2017, 2023, 2024

5.4. Club Team Records and Honors

  • Olympiacos Piraeus' All-Time EuroLeague Steals Leader
  • Olympiacos Piraeus' All-Time Greek League Steals Leader
  • Olympiacos Small Forward of the Decade: 2010-20
  • Greek Youth All-Star Game MVP: 2009
  • Panhellenic Youth Championship MVP: 2009
  • All-Panhellenic Youth Championship Team: 2009
  • Panhellenic Youth Championship Best Defender: 2009

5.5. National Team Awards

  • FIBA U20 EuroBasket MVP: 2009
  • All-FIBA U20 EuroBasket Team: 2009
  • All-FIBA U20 EuroBasket Team: 2010

6. Career Statistics

This section provides detailed statistical breakdowns of Kostas Papanikolaou's performance across different leagues and competitions throughout his career.

6.1. NBA Statistics

6.1.1. Regular season

YearTeamGames playedGames startedMinutes per gameField goal percentage3-point field-goal percentageFree-throw percentageRebounds per gameAssists per gameSteals per gameBlocks per gamePoints per game
2014-15Houston Rockets43118.5.350.292.7222.72.0.7.34.2
2015-16Denver Nuggets26611.3.364.313.6431.5.6.5.22.6
Career69715.8.354.297.6882.31.5.6.33.6

6.1.2. Playoffs

YearTeamGames playedGames startedMinutes per gameField goal percentage3-point field-goal percentageFree-throw percentageRebounds per gameAssists per gameSteals per gameBlocks per gamePoints per game
2015Houston Rockets802.6.250.000.500.3---0.4
Career802.6.250.000.500.3---0.4

6.2. EuroLeague Statistics

†Denotes season in which Papanikolaou won the EuroLeague
*Led the league
YearTeamGames playedGames startedMinutes per gameField goal percentage3-point field-goal percentageFree-throw percentageRebounds per gameAssists per gameSteals per gameBlocks per gamePoints per gamePerformance Index Rating
2009-10Olympiacos616.4.250.000.5001.2.8.5.0.82.0
2010-11161413.7.447.435.6473.1.3.6.13.94.6
2011-12†221319.8.490.333.6883.4.6.5.36.17.4
2012-13†31*3023.8.497.521*.7234.41.4.9.78.711.7
2013-14Barcelona282725.0.507.361.5003.42.2.8.56.98.5
2015-16Olympiacos7518.9.410.118.5834.31.0.6.45.95.9
2016-1737*3223.3.422.316.8264.81.51.2.48.19.7
2017-18282324.0.469.373.7754.32.11.0.48.311.3
2018-19302323.4.431.371.7383.91.6.8.36.98.1
2019-20262123.9.481.391.7083.61.51.4.38.59.4
2020-21141321.7.365.370.8952.22.0.6.55.75.9
2021-22373723.4.408.331.7582.51.6.9.26.66.6
2022-23383825.3.526.429.7293.82.0.7.28.710.3
2023-24383325.1.435.362.6523.62.7.8.17.49.3
Career35831022.9.458.375.7243.71.7.8.37.38.7

6.3. EuroCup Statistics

YearTeamGames playedGames startedMinutes per gameField goal percentage3-point field-goal percentageFree-throw percentageRebounds per gameAssists per gameSteals per gameBlocks per gamePoints per gamePerformance Index Rating
2008-09Aris Thessaloniki202.0.333.000----.51.00.5
Career202.0.333.000----.51.00.5

6.4. Domestic League Statistics

†Denotes season in which Papanikolaou won a league title
YearTeamLeagueGames playedMinutes per gameField goal percentage3-point field-goal percentageFree-throw percentageRebounds per gameAssists per gameSteals per gameBlocks per gamePoints per game
2008-09Aris ThessalonikiHEBA A1124.6.250.2001.000.4.3.4.10.8
2009-10OlympiacosHEBA A11911.3.439.250.7271.4.7.5.42.6
2010-11OlympiacosHEBA A13116.8.500.208.6513.5.91.0.35.9
2011-12†OlympiacosHEBA A13220.8.497.348.6844.6.71.1.37.7
2012-13OlympiacosHEBA A13422.3.569.400.6354.11.71.1.69.2
2013-14†BarcelonaACB4023.7.448.333.7874.01.0.8.36.6
2015-16†OlympiacosHEBA A11920.0.524.345.6834.31.61.1.29.4
2016-17OlympiacosHEBA A12921.7.487.371.7634.61.3.9.29.3
2017-18OlympiacosHEBA A13022.8.506.316.7384.92.0.8.58.3
2018-19OlympiacosHEBA A12223.4.444.328.7303.12.41.1.27.3
2021-22†OlympiacosHEBA A12921.6.477.400.6883.12.31.0.27.0
2022-23†OlympiacosHEBA A12822.3.470.347.6673.03.2.8.47.8
2023-24OlympiacosHEBA A13323.3.474.367.6944.02.8.7.28.4