Georgios Printezis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Georgios Printezis
Γεώργιος Πρίντεζης

Printezis with Olympiacos, in 2022
Personal information
Born	(1985-02-22) 22 February 1985 (age 40) Syros, Greece
Listed height	2.05 m (6 ft 8.71 in)
Listed weight	105 kg (231 lb)
Career information
NBA Draft	2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 58th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	2001–2022
Career history
2001–2009	Olympiacos
2006–2007	→Olympia Larissa
2009–2011	Unicaja Malaga
2011–2022	Olympiacos
Career highlights and awards
2× EuroLeague champion (2012, 2013) All-EuroLeague First Team (2017) EuroLeague 2010–2020 All-Decade Team (2020) 1× EuroLeague MVP of the Month FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (2013) 4× Greek League champion (2012, 2015, 2016, 2022) 3× Greek Cup winner (2002, 2011, 2022) No. 15 retired by Olympiacos (2024) 2× Greek League Finals MVP (2012, 2015) 5× All-Greek League First Team (2012, 2014–2017) Greek League Domestic Player of the Year (2017) Greek League Best Young Player (2007) Greek League Most Improved Player (2012) Greek Cup Finals Top Scorer (2012) 6× Greek All-Star (2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019) Greek All-Star Game Slam Dunk champion (2007) Greek League Hall of Fame (2022) Greek Youth All-Star Game MVP (2006) Acropolis Tournament Top Scorer (2013)
Medals Event 1st 2nd 3rd FIBA EuroBasket 0 0 1 Men's Basketball Representing  Greece FIBA EuroBasket Bronze 2009 Poland

Georgios Printezis (also known as Giorgos) was a Greek professional basketball player. He was born on February 22, 1985. He spent most of his career playing for Olympiacos Piraeus in Greece.

Printezis is famous for winning two EuroLeague titles with Olympiacos. These big wins happened in 2012 and 2013. A special moment was his game-winning shot in the 2012 EuroLeague Final. He scored it with only 0.7 seconds left, helping his team beat CSKA Moscow.

He was also chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team in 2017. Printezis played for the Greek national team too. He helped Greece win a bronze medal at the 2009 EuroBasket tournament.

Georgios Printezis: A Basketball Star

Starting His Journey

Georgios Printezis began his professional basketball journey in 2001. He started with Olympiacos, a famous Greek team. For the 2006–07 season, Olympiacos loaned him to another team, Olympia Larissa.

While playing for Olympia Larissa, he showed his skills. He scored about 11.5 points and grabbed 3.9 rebounds per game. That season, he also won the slam dunk contest at the Greek All-Star Game. He was even named the Greek League Best Young Player. After this successful year, he went back to Olympiacos.

Playing in Spain

In 2009, Printezis decided to try playing in Spain. He signed a three-year contract with Unicaja Málaga, a team in the Spanish ACB League. This was a big move for his career, allowing him to experience basketball in another country.

Back Home with Olympiacos

On April 27, 2011, Printezis returned to his beloved club, Olympiacos Piraeus. This return was a huge moment for the team. In the 2011–12 EuroLeague Final, he made a legendary shot. With just 0.7 seconds left, he scored the winning basket against CSKA Moscow. This shot secured the EuroLeague championship for Olympiacos.

After this amazing win, Printezis signed a new three-year contract with Olympiacos in 2012. He even turned down a big offer from a Turkish team to stay with Olympiacos. He helped the team win another EuroLeague championship in the 2012–13 season. He continued to play for Olympiacos, extending his contract multiple times until 2021.

On June 17, 2022, Printezis announced he was retiring from professional basketball. His final season ended with Olympiacos winning the Greek Basket League championship. He was the team's captain during this last season.

NBA Draft: A Different Path

Georgios Printezis was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA draft. He was the 58th player picked overall. His draft rights were later traded to several other NBA teams, including the Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Atlanta Hawks.

Even though his draft rights were traded many times, Printezis never actually played in the NBA. He chose to continue his successful career in Europe, especially with Olympiacos.

Playing for Greece

Early Days with Greece's Team

Printezis also played for the junior national teams of Greece. He competed in important tournaments like the 2001 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. These experiences helped him grow as a player.

Representing His Country

Later, Printezis joined the senior Greek national team. He played in the 2008 Summer Olympics. A big achievement with the national team was winning the bronze medal at the 2009 EuroBasket.

He also represented Greece in many other major tournaments. These included the 2010 FIBA World Championship, the 2014 FIBA World Cup, and several EuroBasket tournaments.

Awards and Accomplishments

Georgios Printezis has won many awards throughout his career.

• He is a 2-time EuroLeague Champion with Olympiacos (2012, 2013).
• He won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2013.
• He is a 4-time Greek League Champion (2012, 2015, 2016, 2022).
• He won the Greek Cup three times (2002, 2011, 2022).
• He was named the Greek League Finals MVP twice (2012, 2015).
• He was part of the EuroLeague 2010–2020 All-Decade Team in 2020.
• His jersey number 15 was retired by Olympiacos in 2024, a great honor.
• He was inducted into the Greek Basket League Hall of Fame in 2022.

See also

In Spanish: Giorgos Printezis para niños