Lazaros Papadopoulos


Lazaros Papadopoulos, is a retired Greek–Russian professional basketball player. He was listed at 7 ft 265 lbs, and he played the center position. During his playing career, he was most well-known for his signature skyhook move. Papadopoulos played with several teams in Europe throughout his professional club career, and he most notably won the EuroLeague twice, in 2002 with Panathinaikos, and in 2012 with Olympiacos. He was an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2007. Papadopoulos represented the senior Greek national team, and he won the gold medal at the 2005 EuroBasket, and the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Professional career

Papadopoulos began his professional career playing with the Greek club Iraklis in the 1996–97 season. After five years with Iraklis, he signed to play with the Greek League powerhouse Panathinaikos in 2001, and he stayed there until 2003. He then returned to Iraklis the following season, and stayed there for only one year, before next signing with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague A, in the year 2004. In 2007, he joined the Spanish ACB League club Real Madrid. In 2008, he joined Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian League.
He won the EuroLeague championship during the EuroLeague 2001–02 season, while he was with Panathinaikos, and also the EuroCup championship, while he was with Dynamo Moscow, in the year 2006. In 2007, his performance with Dynamo Moscow during the EuroLeague 2006–07 season, earned him a selection to the All-EuroLeague Second Team. He joined PAOK for the 2009–10 season, and donated his salary to charity.
In February 2011, he joined the Russian club Khimky. In August 2011, he signed a one-year deal with Olympiacos. With Olympiacos, he won the EuroLeague championship in 2012. On September 5, 2012, he returned after few seasons to his former club PAOK. On February 6, 2014, Papadopoulos came back to Spain, after signing with 1939 Canarias. After only one game played, he parted ways with them.

National team career

Greek junior national team

As a member of the junior Greek national team, Papadopoulos won the bronze medal at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He also competed with the Greek junior team at the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.

Greek senior national team

With the senior Greek National Basketball Team, Papadopoulos won the gold medal at the 2005 EuroBasket. With Greece, he also won the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Papadopulos was also a member of the Greek teams that competed at the 2001 EuroBasket and the 2007 EuroBasket. He was also a part of Greece's 2004 Summer Olympic Games team. He played a total of 103 games for Greece at the senior men's level, averaging 8.2 points per game.
While playing for the national team Papadopoulos won the Acropolis Tournament five times: in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Personal life

Papadopoulos was born in Krasnodar, then-USSR, on June 3, 1980, as Lazar Popandopulo to a Greek father and a Russian mother. In 1990, he came to Thessaloniki, Greece with his parents, Theodore and Marina, and younger sister Agapi. He was married in August 2002, and he has two daughters, Daphne and Nefeli.