Kostas Papanikolaou

Kostas Papanikolaou
	Papanikolaou with Olympiacos, in 2022
No. 16 – Olympiacos
Position	Small forward
League	Greek Basket League; EuroLeague
Personal information
Born	31 July 1990 (age 34); Trikala, Greece
Listed height	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight	107 kg (236 lb)
Career information
NBA draft	2012: 2nd round, 48th overall pick
	Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career	2008–present
Career history
2008–2009	Aris Thessaloniki
2009–2013	Olympiacos
2013–2014	FC Barcelona
2014–2015	Houston Rockets
2015–2016	Denver Nuggets
2016–present	Olympiacos
Career highlights and awards
	2× EuroLeague champion (2012, 2013); EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer (2012); EuroLeague Rising Star (2013); Liga ACB champion (2014); Catalan League champion (2013); Liga ACB Defensive Player of the Year (2014); 4× Greek League champion (2012, 2016, 2022, 2023); 5× Greek Cup winner (2010, 2011, 2022–2024); 3× Greek Super Cup winner (2022–2024); Greek League Finals MVP (2012); 5× All-Greek League First Team (2012, 2013, 2017, 2023, 2024); 2× All-Greek League Second Team (2018, 2022); Greek League Best Defender (2017); 2× Greek League Domestic Player of the Year (2012, 2023); 2× Greek League Best Young Player (2009, 2012); 5× Greek All-Star (2013, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023); FIBA U20 EuroBasket MVP (2009); Panhellenic Youth Championship champion (2009); Panhellenic Youth Championship MVP (2009);
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference
Men's basketball
Representing Greece
FIBA U19 World Cup
FIBA U20 EuroBasket
FIBA U18 EuroBasket

Konstantinos "Kostas" Papanikolaou (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος "Κώστας" Παπανικολάου; born 31 July 1990) nicknamed "Air Pap" is a Greek professional basketball player and the team captain for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. Standing at 2.04 m (6'8 1⁄2"),^[1]^[2] he plays at the small forward position. He is widely considered among the best defensive players in European basketball.^[3]

A back-to-back EuroLeague champion with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013, Papanikolaou was the EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer in 2012 and won the EuroLeague Rising Star award in 2013. He has reached another two finals with the Reds in 2017 and 2023. Papanikolaou is also the first player in EuroLeague history to record 2.000 points, 1.000 rebounds, 400 assists, 300 three-pointers made, 200 steals and 100 blocks.^[4] Since very early in his career, he has been a regular member of the senior Hellenic national team.

^ PAPANIKOLAOU, KOSTAS HEIGHT: 2.04.
^ "Olympiacos officially announced Papanikolaou". Eurohoops.net. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
^ "EuroLeague Best Defender by Eurohoops: Κώστας Παπανικολάου, Greeks do it better". Eurohoops (in Greek). 8 May 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
^ "Κώστας Παπανικολάου: Ένα απίστευτο "milestone", μοναδικό στην ιστορία της Ευρωλίγκας! (pic)". Eurohoops (in Greek). 10 November 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.

[1] PAPANIKOLAOU, KOSTAS HEIGHT: 2.04.

[Olympiacos2016-2] "Olympiacos officially announced Papanikolaou". Eurohoops.net. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.

[eurohoops.net-3] "EuroLeague Best Defender by Eurohoops: Κώστας Παπανικολάου, Greeks do it better". Eurohoops (in Greek). 8 May 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2022.

[4] "Κώστας Παπανικολάου: Ένα απίστευτο "milestone", μοναδικό στην ιστορία της Ευρωλίγκας! (pic)". Eurohoops (in Greek). 10 November 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]