Panagiotis Fasoulas


Panagiotis "Panos" Fasoulas is a Greek politician, and former professional basketball player. He was selected in the second round, with the 37th overall pick, by the Portland Trail Blazers, in the 1986 NBA draft. However, he never decided to play in the NBA. During his pro club career, Fasoulas won multiple team titles and individual awards.
In 1997, as a member of the Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus, Fasoulas won the EuroLeague championship at the 1997 EuroLeague Final Four. He also won the European Triple Crown title that same year. On a personal level, he was a four-time FIBA European Selection, as well as a FIBA EuroStar. With the senior Greek national team, Fasoulas won the gold medal at the 1987 FIBA EuroBasket, where he was also an All-Tournament Team selection.
Widely considered to be one of the best centers in the history of European basketball, Fasoulas became a FIBA Hall of Fame player in 2016. In 2022, he was also inducted into the Greek League Hall of Fame.

Basketball career

College career

As a youth, Fasoulas moved from Greece, to play college basketball in the United States. He first played college ball at the Hellenic College. He was recruited to the school by its head coach at the time, Dick Dukeshire, who had previously worked as a coach in Greece. Fasoulas played two seasons with the school's men's basketball team, the Hellenic College Owls.
Fasoulas then played college ball at North Carolina State University, with the N.C. State Wolfpack. At NC State, he played under legendary head coach Jim Valvano. In his sole season with the Wolfpack, Fasoulas averaged 2.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, and he also led the team with 1.8 blocks per game, in 29 games played.

Professional career

During his professional career, Fasoulas played for PAOK Thessaloniki and Olympiacos Piraeus. With PAOK, he won the FIBA Cup Winners' Cup championship in the 1990–91 season. With Olympiacos, he won the EuroLeague championship and the Triple Crown in the 1996–97 season. He was named to the FIBA European Selection four times, in the years 1990, 1991, and 1995. He was also named a FIBA EuroStar in 1996.
At the national domestic level, Fasoulas won 5 Greek League championships and 3 Greek Cups. He was named the Greek League Finals MVP in 1992, and was also named the Greek League MVP in 1994 and 1995. He led the Greek League in rebounding in 1987, and in blocked shots in 1994 and 1997. Fasoulas was inducted into the Greek League Hall of Fame in 2022.

National team career

Fasoulas was also a member of the senior Greek national team, where he was the starting center during Greece's 1987 FIBA EuroBasket gold medal victory, being also named to the All-Tournament Team. He also won the silver medal with Greece at the 1989 FIBA EuroBasket. In Toronto, Canada, at the 1994 FIBA World Championship, where Greece finished in fourth place, Fasoulas played the best basketball of his career. In total, Fasoulas appeared in 244 games for Greece, averaging 9.77 points per game. He is second all-time in games played and third all-time in points scored for Greece's senior men's team.
Fasoulas played with Greece at the following major FIBA tournaments: the 1983 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1984 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 1987 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1988 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 1989 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1990 FIBA World Cup, the 1991 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1992 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 1993 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1994 FIBA World Cup, the 1995 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and the 1998 FIBA World Cup.
He also represented Greece at the 1981 Balkan Championship, the 1982 Balkan Championship, the 1983 Balkan Championship, the 1983 Mediterranean Games, the 1984 Balkan Championship, and the 1986 Balkan Championship.

Managerial career

After his basketball playing career ended, Fasoulas became a basketball executive. He became the sports director of Olympiacos Women, of the Greek Women's League and the EuroLeague Women.

Awards and accomplishments

Club titles

Other honors

Greece national team

Personal awards

Political career

A charismatic personality, Fasoulas entered politics after retiring from sport, joining the political party of PASOK. He contributed in the organization of the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, in 2004. He was elected Mayor of Piraeus on 15 October 2006, and served as Mayor through 2010.