Panionios Signs George Papas

Panionios Signs George Papas. The club from Nea Smyrni is significantly strengthening its Greek core, with Gkikas and Tsalmpouris renewing their contracts, and now Lountzis and Papas joining coach Pavicevic's roster.

Player Profile

George Papas, a Greek-American guard born on March 15, 1998, in Jersey City, New Jersey, stands at 1.96m (6'5") and weighs 90kg (198 lbs). He primarily plays as a shooting guard but can also play small forward. Known for his versatility and offensive capabilities, he brings scoring and playmaking to the perimeter.

Career History

Papas's career has seen him develop through the NCAA and then return to play in Greece.

NCAA (Monmouth Hawks, 2017-2022): He spent five seasons with the Monmouth Hawks, steadily increasing his production year-over-year. His peak came in his final season (2021-22), where he started 34 games and averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in over 35 minutes per game.

Olympiacos (2022-2024): After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Papas joined Greek powerhouse Olympiacos. Here, he achieved significant domestic success, winning the Greek League championship (2023), the Greek Cup (2023), and two Greek Super Cups (2022, 2023). His EuroLeague experience with Olympiacos included limited minutes across two seasons, averaging 3.5 points in 3 minutes over 2 games in 2022-23, and 1.0 point in 3.5 minutes over 2 games in 2023-24.

Promitheas Patras (2024): He had a brief stint with Promitheas Patras in early 2024, averaging 6.8 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes over 13 Greek League games, and 0 points and 0.7 rebounds in 6.3 minutes over 3 BCL games.

Peristeri (2024-2025): His most recent club, where he played a more prominent role, averaging 10.4 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in the Greek League. In the Basketball Champions League, he averaged 7.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.

Greek National Team: Papas has also represented Greece in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (2021-22 and 2022-23), averaging 1.5 points and 0.5 rebounds in limited minutes across two games in both qualifying cycles.

Peristeri Signs John Ittounas

Peristeri has officially added John Ittounas to its roster, securing the promising 23-year-old Greek-American guard for the 2025-26 season. Ittounas, who showcased his skills in the Elite League with HANTH last season, is expected to significantly strengthen Peristeri's perimeter.

"KAE Peristeri is pleased to announce the agreement with athlete John Ittounas," the club stated. "The 23-year-old guard's presence is anticipated to fortify our team's guard line as we approach our upcoming challenges."

Player Profile

John Ittounas, born on September 2, 2002, in Vernon Hills, Illinois, brings a blend of scoring and playmaking to the court. Standing at 1.91m (6'3"), he's a true guard with deep Greek roots from Tripoli, Peloponnese. Beyond his on-court talent, Ittounas is also noted for his strong academic background in finance, highlighting his well-rounded profile.

Collegiate & Professional Journey

Ittounas honed his game through the demanding US collegiate system before making his professional debut in Greece.

High School Standout (Stevenson High School): As a high school phenom, Ittounas was a leader and captain, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in his final two years.

NCAA & JUCO Development (2020-2024): His collegiate path saw him at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (NCAA DIII) and Triton College (JUCO), where he averaged 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds. He truly blossomed at Elmhurst University (NCAA DIII), earning "athlete of the year" recognition. In his senior year (2023-24), he exploded for 17.6 points and 2.4 assists across 28 games, leading Elmhurst to a CCIW Tournament title and a second-place conference finish.

Greek Professional Debut (HANTH, 2024-25): Last season marked his entry into the Greek professional scene with HANTH in the Elite League. He made an immediate impact, averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 steal over 32 games, while shooting an efficient 41.6% from beyond the arc and 81% from the free-throw line.

Olympiacos Signs Omiros Netzipoglou

Olympiacos has officially signed Omiros Netzipoglou (22 years old, 1.93 meters), with the Reds securing the Greek guard. The two sides had been close to an agreement, and the transfer is now complete, with the player preparing to move to Piraeus.

Netzipoglou was under contract with AEK Betsson until 2027, but a buy-out clause of €150,000 was activated by Olympiacos to bring him to their roster.

Player Profile

Omiros Netzipoglou (Greek: Όμηρος Νετζήπογλου) is a professional basketball player born on November 18, 2002, in Thessaloniki, Greece. He stands at 1.93m (6'4") and typically plays as a shooting guard or small forward. He is known for his developing offensive game and has been recognized as a promising young talent in Greek basketball.

Career History

Netzipoglou has quickly risen through the ranks of Greek basketball, showcasing his potential at a young age.

Aris BC (2019-2023): Netzipoglou began his professional career with Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek Basket League (GBL) during the 2019-20 season. He steadily increased his role and production over his four seasons with the club. He was notably named the Greek League Best Young Player for the 2021-2022 season.

AEK Athens (2023-2025): On July 11, 2023, Netzipoglou joined AEK Athens, where he continued to develop his game in both domestic and European competitions.

Greek National Team (U20 & Senior): He has been a key player for the U20 Greek national team, demonstrating his talent in youth international competitions. He has also made appearances for the senior Greek national team in World Cup and EuroBasket Qualifiers.

Season-by-Season Stats and Averages

Regular Season Stats (Greek League - GBL)

2019-20 (Aris BC): Averaged 0.7 points in 3 games with limited minutes (1.7 per game).

2020-21 (Aris BC): Saw an increased role, averaging 10.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 3 games, playing 19 minutes per game. He shot 52.4% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range.

2021-22 (Aris BC): Played in 23 games, averaging 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 22 minutes per game. He had 1.2 steals per game.

2022-23 (Aris BC): Averaged 5.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 22 games, playing 19 minutes per game. He notably shot 43.5% from three-point range.

2023-24 (AEK Athens): In 27 games, he averaged 7.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 17.7 minutes. He maintained strong shooting percentages with 50.3% from the field and 44.1% from three-point range.

2024-25 (AEK Athens): In 22 games, he averaged 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 16.3 minutes. He continued his efficient shooting, with 55.6% from the field and 46.2% from three-point range.

European Competitions Stats

2022-23 (Aris BC - FIBA Europe Cup Qualifiers): Played 1 game, recording 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist in 19 minutes.

2023-24 (AEK Athens - BCL): Averaged 4.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 12 games, playing 14.8 minutes per game.

2024-25 (AEK Athens - BCL): Averaged 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 17 games, playing 12.8 minutes per game.

International Competitions Stats (Greek National Team)

2021-22 (U20 Greece - Euro U20): Averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 5 games, playing 26 minutes per game.

2021-22 (Greece - WC-QR): Played 1 game with no points or rebounds in 2 minutes.

2022-23 (U20 Greece - Euro U20): Averaged 12.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 7 games, playing 27.9 minutes per game. He also averaged 2.1 steals.

2023-24 (Greece - EUR-QR): Played 1 game, recording 2 points and 3 rebounds in 8 minutes.