K. Papadopoulos at the helm of the Young Men’s National Team

A new coach in the National Youth Men’s National Team was taken over by Kostas Papadopoulos. The Greek technician, who works as an assistant to Andreas Pistiolis in Galatasaray, will be at the helm of the team for the U20 European Championship that will be hosted in Heraklion, Crete. He himself has experience from “small” national teams.

“It’s a great honor, it’s always a pride to take over a National Team“, he emphasized to add: “I’m lucky enough to have worked with most of the guys before, which will definitely help, as a European Championship is very demanding. I have the experience of these events and they are very demanding, high level teams participate and for us there is the extra motivation of being held in Heraklion, in Greece. It is a good opportunity for Greek fans to see the up-and-coming Greek athletes who in the coming years will star in European and, why not?, in world basketball as well».

The Youth Men’s National Team will face challenges with a good morning, as they will face Poland, Lithuania and Croatia in their group. “The group is not easy at all, it is a fact. For this reason we should be ready, focused from the beginning, but at the same time optimistic“, states Papadopoulos and continues: “The goal is a distinction. It’s always a distinction. Someone who takes charge of a National Team cannot think otherwise. I only hope that with our image we will give more, that the fans will come to fill the stadium, to support the efforts of the children».

The preparation of the National Youth Men’s National Team is expected to start in the first days of June, but the work has started early with the preparation of the preparation, but also with a fairly clear picture of the available athletes: “We have spoken, there is certainly a list of children from which the selection will be made, as is usually done. The fact that several of them have the experience of such European events will be an important “plus”. We will move forward with steady steps and I believe we can get where we want».

*The European Junior Men’s Championship will be held in Heraklion, Crete, July 8-16, at the New Indoor Gymnasium of Heraklion (Dyo Aorakia) and at KG University. Greece competes in Group 3 and in the first phase they will face Poland (8/7), Lithuania (9/7) and Croatia (10/7) respectively.

Who is Konstantinos Papadopoulos?

Konstantinos Papadopoulos has been a coach and program manager in the basketball infrastructure departments of many clubs such as the Panhellenic GS (1997-99), AO Sporting (1999-2001), Elysiakos AO (2003-2004 / 1st place in the Boys in the E.S .K.A. and 2nd place in Greece and 2nd place in the Adolescents in the ESKA), Panionios GSS (2004-06), Panathinaikos AO (1998-2002, 2005-07 in the Boys and 2007 -2016 in the Adolescents / 6 consecutive times the title of the ESKA in the Adolescents and champion of Greece 3 times (2012, 2015 and 2016), while another 3 times on the podium (3rd in 2011 and 2nd in 2013 and 2014) ), ASE Doukas (2016-17 / Greek Youth Champions) and A.S. Prometheus of Patras (2020-2022 / 1st place among Teenagers in ESKA-H. and 2nd place in Greece)

He has been a first coach in the A.O. Triton (2006-07), S.A. Treis Asteres (2009-10), Aris Petroupolis (2016-18), Ikaros Kallithea (2018), AE N. Kifissia (2018), Ippokrates Kos (2018-19) and Korivo Amaliadas (2019-20) and assistant coach at AE Psychiko (1997-98), A.O. Ilysiako (A1 National, 2003-04), the National O.F.P.F. (2011 -13), A.S. Promethea of ​​Patras (A1 National, 2020-22) and Galatasaray SK (2022-2023)

He has also worked on women’s basketball teams. He was the first coach at A.A. Galatsiou (2007-09), at GS Agia Paraskevi (2009) and at Panathinaikos (2013-14 as assistant and in 2016 as first coach / 2nd in the league and finalist in the Cup in 2016)

Papadopoulos is not unknown to the “small” national teams either. He was a coach in the U16 Children’s National Team (2016-2020/ first place in the 2nd Division of the Pan-European Children’s Championship in Sofia in 2017 and promotion to the 1st Division, 6th place in the Pan-European Championships in 2018 and 2019 and assistant coach in the U18 Youth National Team (2015 and 2016 / 2nd place in Bosnia and promotion to the First Division), but also in the Men’s National Team (2021-2022).