Greek Gods of the NBA

We didn't pay much attention to NBA players from Greece before Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greeks, on the other hand, have quietly contributed to the basketball canon for many years. Now that Giannis is undoubtedly the best player in the league and is playing on the most significant platform, it's time to look back at all of the best Greek-American players in NBA history. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in Greece; in fact, many would bet on basketball being the most prominent sport – Greek basketball has a large following across Europe, and the men's basketball team has won multiple titles over the years.

Over the years, several successful Greek basketball players have made their way to the NBA. Of course, playing in the NBA is the ultimate ambition for many Greek athletes, having grown up watching legends such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and others. However, a handful of other notable Greek players made the move before Giannis arrived in the NBA, and we'll take a look at a few of them below.

Jake Tsakalidis

Tsakalidis was born in Georgia while still part of the Soviet Union, but grew up in Greece and played for the Greek national team. Before being noticed by the NBA, the 7'2" centre began his career with AEK Athens in the Greek League. He would play in the NBA with the Suns, Grizzlies, and Rockets for seven seasons. Tsakalidis was a semi-regular starter early in his career, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in his best season with the Phoenix Suns in 2001-02. In the long run, he's largely forgettable, but he did make one of the most successful transitions from the Greek League to the NBA.

Kurt Rambis

Rambis is best known as a head coach, but he is of Greek heritage and spent a year playing basketball in Greece after being dismissed by the Knicks shortly after being selected 58th overall in the 1980 Draft. While playing under the name Kyriakos Rambidis, he helped AEK Athens win the Greek League title in his lone season. Rambis returned to the NBA after that one season in Greece, where he spent four seasons and won four NBA titles with the Lakers in the 1980s. Rambis also played for the Hornets, Suns, and Kings during his 14-year career, averaging 5.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, which was the best by a player of Greek heritage until Antetokounmpo came along.

Nick Calathes

Despite being born in Florida, Calathes is of Greek origin. He was a McDonald's All-American in high school and a star for the Florida Gators during his two seasons there. In reality, after two seasons with the Gators, he skipped the NBA and headed straight to the Greek League. Calathes eventually returned to the United States and spent two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 4.6 points per game. He could have had a better NBA career if he had stayed instead of returning to Greece, but he is undoubtedly one of the best Greek-American NBA players.

Efthimis Rentzias

Efthimis played in Greece for many years, and his first professional deal was with PAOK Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. After that, he travelled to Spain and played at Barcelona Bàsquet from 1997 to 2002, where he was a key player. While playing for PAOK Thessaloniki, Efthimis was taken in the NBA draught of 1996 by the Denver Nuggets. He didn't want to play in the NBA at the moment, but he did so in 2002 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Between 2002 and 2003, he appeared in 35 games for the team, and he called his NBA debut "a dream come true."

Lewis Tsioropoulos

Lewis, often known as Lou, was a basketball player for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1959. He was born in Massachusetts and attended the University of Kentucky, where he played basketball under famed coach Adolph Rupp. Lou was the first Greek to be drafted into the NBA in 1953, and he went on to win two titles in 1957 and 1959. Unfortunately, his playing career was cut short due to a catastrophic back injury.

Antonis Fotsis

Antonis was a famous young basketball player in Greece, where he was a member of the Nike Hoop Summit All-World squad in 1998 and 1999. He joined the Vancouver Grizzlies after being selected in the 2001 NBA draught and played for them for 28 games during the 2001-2002 season. His long-range shooting abilities were exceptional, as were his basketball abilities in general, even though he only played in the NBA for one season.

Many Greek NBA players only stay for a season or two before moving to other clubs in the lesser divisions, while others return to their homeland. This isn't to imply they weren't successful. On the contrary, making it to the NBA demonstrates that they were excellent players who were highly sought after. The NBA is the summit for all basketball players globally, and the Greeks who have made it there are all well-liked and revered in their homeland.