Zisis Sarikopoulos
Zisis Sarikopoulos (alternate spelling: Zissis) (Greek: Ζήσης Σαρικόπουλος; born March 31, 1990 in Athens, Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player who last played for PAOK of the Greek Basket League. He is 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)[1] tall, and he plays at the center position. His nickname is "Big Z".[2]
 Sarikopoulos with AEK Athens, in 2016. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Free agent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | March 31, 1990 Athens, Greece | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Greek | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | UAB (2007–2008) Ohio State (2009–2010) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2010 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2010–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Panionios | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Aris Thessaloniki | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | AEK Athens | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Promitheas Patras | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Panionios | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Tsmoki-Minsk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | PAOK Thessaloniki | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Early years
Sarikopoulos began playing basketball with the youth teams of the Greek club Olympiacos. He played at the 2007 Jordan Brand Classic International game.[3]
College career
Sarikopoulos played college basketball at UAB, with the UAB Blazers, and at Ohio State, with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He left Ohio State early, to play pro basketball in Greece.[4] Sarikopoulos averaged 1.35 points per game in his NCAA Division I career.[5]
Professional career
In 2010, Sarikopoulos began his professional career with the Greek League club Panionios. In 2012, he moved to the Greek club Aris. In 2014, he joined the Greek club AEK Athens.
On July 17, 2016, Sarikopoulos signed with the Greek team Promitheas Patras.[6] He returned to Panionios for the 2017–18 season.[7]
On August 22, 2018, Sarikopoulos signed with the Belarusian team Tsmoki-Minsk.[8]
On August 30, 2019, he signed with PAOK of the Greek Basket League.[9]
National team career
Sarikopoulos was a member of the Greek junior national teams. With the junior national teams of Greece, he played at the following tournaments: the 2005 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, the 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, and the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.
In 2012, he was invited to practice with the senior men's Greek national basketball team, for the first time. In 2015, he was invited as a training camp player of the Greek senior men's national team for the first time.
Career statistics
Regular season
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | MPG | Minutes per game | FG% | Field goal percentage |
| 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game |
| PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high | Led the league | |
Note 1: Only games in the primary domestic competitions are included. Therefore, games in cup or European competitions are left out. Note 2: 2018-19 Season stats correct as of 28 April 2019.
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 |  Panionios |
GBL | 16 | 4.4 | .437 | .000 | .250 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| 2011–12 | Panionios |
GBL | 21 | 7.4 | .733 | .000 | .550 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
| 2012–13 | Aris |
GBL | 22 | 13.3 | .723 | .000 | .500 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 4.7 |
| 2013–14 | Aris |
GBL | 17 | 12.3 | .564 | .000 | .451 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 4.9 |
| 2014–15 | AEK |
GBL | 22 | 17.3 | .666 | .000 | .511 | 4.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 6.6 |
| 2015–16 | AEK |
GBL | 15 | 8.5 | .666 | .000 | .933 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 3.1 |
| 2016–17 | Promitheas |
GBL | 22 | 13.4 | .648 | .000 | .512 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 5.1 |
| 2017–18 | Panionios |
GBL | 26 | 20.5 | .701 | .000 | .542 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 9.4 |
| 2018–19 |  Tsmoki-Minsk |
VTB | 26 | 24.4 | .614 | .000 | .642 | 6.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 10.1 |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Panionios |
GBL | 9 | 13.4 | .735 | .000 | .312 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 6.1 |
| 2012–13 | Aris |
GBL | 3 | 7.3 | 1.000 | .000 | .666 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 2013–14 | Aris |
GBL | 2 | 12.4 | .333 | .000 | .833 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| 2014–15 | AEK |
GBL | 3 | 14.0 | .600 | .000 | .400 | 6.0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4.6 |
| 2015–16 | AEK |
GBL | 6 | 5.3 | .500 | .000 | .000 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
References
- ESAKE.gr ΑΡΙΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ Ζήσης | HEIGHT 2.13 (in Greek).
- HIGH SCHOOL.
- Maroussi invests in center Sarikopoulos.
- ESPN.com Zisis Sarikopoulos to play in Greece.
- Zisis Sarikopoulos Career NCAA Stats.
- "Promitheas land Mouhammad Faye, Zisis Sarikopoulos and Nikos Gikas". 17 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
- Sarikopoulos is back at Panionios - Oct 1, 2017.
- "Tsmoki" signed a review contract with Zisis Sarikopoulos
- "Paok BC announces Zisis Sarikopoulos". Sportando. August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.