Dimitrios Spanoulis
Encyclopedia
Dimitrios Spanoulis (in Greek
: Δημήτρης Σπανούλης) (born January 1, 1979, in Larissa
, Greece
) is a Greek
professional basketball player. He is 6 ft 3 ¾ in (1.92 m) in height and he plays both the point guard
and shooting guard
positions on the basketball court. He currently plays in the Greek A League second division, the Greek A2 League
.
, Xanthi
, MENT, and AEP Olympias.
Spanoulis reached the ULEB Cup
championship game with Makedonikos
during the 2004-05 season. Dimitris led the Greek A2 League
in scoring average with Xanthi
during the 2006-07 season, with a scoring average of 27.4 points per game. As a result, he was voted to the Greek A2 League
All-Domestic Team, the League First Team, and he was named the league's Domestic Player of the Year, Guard of the Year, and MVP.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Δημήτρης Σπανούλης) (born January 1, 1979, in Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) is a Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
professional basketball player. He is 6 ft 3 ¾ in (1.92 m) in height and he plays both the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
and shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
positions on the basketball court. He currently plays in the Greek A League second division, the Greek A2 League
A2 Ethniki
The HEBA A2 or commonly called, the Greek A2 League, is the second division of the highest professional basketball competition among pro clubs in Greece. It is operated by the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association . The league has 16 teams...
.
Professional career
Spanoulis started his career playing with Gymnastikos S. Larissas in the 2001-02 season. He later transferred to several teams including: MakedonikosMakedonikos BC
Makedonikos B.C. is a Greek professional basketball club. The club is located in Neapoli, Thessaloniki , Greece. The club was founded in the year 1928.-History:...
, Xanthi
Xanthi BC
Xanthi BC AKA Xanthi BF Fashion is a Greek professional basketball club that is located in Western Thrace, Xanthi, Greece. Xanthi BC competes in the A2 Ethniki, which is the second division of the Greek A League.-External links:*...
, MENT, and AEP Olympias.
Spanoulis reached the ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
championship game with Makedonikos
Makedonikos BC
Makedonikos B.C. is a Greek professional basketball club. The club is located in Neapoli, Thessaloniki , Greece. The club was founded in the year 1928.-History:...
during the 2004-05 season. Dimitris led the Greek A2 League
A2 Ethniki
The HEBA A2 or commonly called, the Greek A2 League, is the second division of the highest professional basketball competition among pro clubs in Greece. It is operated by the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association . The league has 16 teams...
in scoring average with Xanthi
Xanthi BC
Xanthi BC AKA Xanthi BF Fashion is a Greek professional basketball club that is located in Western Thrace, Xanthi, Greece. Xanthi BC competes in the A2 Ethniki, which is the second division of the Greek A League.-External links:*...
during the 2006-07 season, with a scoring average of 27.4 points per game. As a result, he was voted to the Greek A2 League
A2 Ethniki
The HEBA A2 or commonly called, the Greek A2 League, is the second division of the highest professional basketball competition among pro clubs in Greece. It is operated by the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association . The league has 16 teams...
All-Domestic Team, the League First Team, and he was named the league's Domestic Player of the Year, Guard of the Year, and MVP.
Personal
- Dimitrios is the elder brother of fellow Greek basketball star Vassilis SpanoulisVassilis SpanoulisVassilis Spanoulis is a Greek professional basketball player who plays for the Greek League and Euroleague club Olympiacos Piraeus. A 6 ft 4 in tall guard, Spanoulis first played for GS Larissa and enjoyed a highly successful career start, winning the Greek League's award for Best Young...
, a long-time member of the Greek national basketball teamGreece national basketball teamThe Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
, who currently plays with OlympiacosOlympiacos BCOlympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
and formerly played for the NBA's Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Dimitris competed against Vassilis in the ULEB CupULEB CupEurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
competition in 2005 when he played for MakdeonikosMakedonikos BCMakedonikos B.C. is a Greek professional basketball club. The club is located in Neapoli, Thessaloniki , Greece. The club was founded in the year 1928.-History:...
and his younger brother Vassilis played for MaroussiMaroussi BCMaroussi Athens B.C. , is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in Maroussi, a northern suburb of Athens, Greece. The club's full name is Gymnastikos Syllogos Amarousiou. The club competes in the Greek League. Its long-time owner was Armodios Vovos of the BVIC construction firm...
. In European basketball the two are nicknamed "The Spanoulis Brothers".
- Spanoulis was offered contracts by several Spanish LEB LeagueLiga Española de BaloncestoLiga Española de Baloncesto is the second league of the Spanish basketball league system behind the ACB. It is run by the FEB. The Liga Española de Baloncesto is divided into two categories and they are sponsored by Adecco. The names of the two leagues are Adecco Oro and Adecco Plata.The LEB league...
teams prior to the 2007-08 season, but he was unable to accept them as he could not leave Greece at the time. This was due to his mother being in poor health at the time and he needed to help to attend to her.
- He is the brother-in-law of the Greek super model Olympia Chopsonidou.