Fanis Christodoulou

Fanis Christodoulou
Φάνης Χριστοδούλου
	Christodoulou playing with Panathinaikos, in 1998.
Panionios
Position	General Manager
Personal information
Born	May 22, 1965 (age 59); Athens, Greece
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	1987: 4th round, 90th overall pick
	Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Playing career	1983–1998
Position	Small forward / power forward
Number	4, 15
Career history
1983–1997	Panionios
1997–1998	Panathinaikos
Career highlights and awards
	As a player: FIBA Balkans Selection (1991 I); Greek League champion (1998); Greek Cup winner (1991); Greek League MVP (1993); 2× Greek All-Star (1991, 1994 I); Acropolis Tournament MVP (1996); No. 4 retired by Panionios; Greek League Hall of Fame (2022);
	Stats at Basketball Reference
Men's basketball
Representing Greece
FIBA EuroBasket
Balkan Championship

Theofanis "Fanis" Christodoulou (Greek: Θεοφάνης "Φάνης" Χριστοδούλου; born May 22, 1965) is a Greek former professional basketball player. He played mainly at the small forward position, but his complete all-around skills allowed him to play at all five basketball positions. During his playing career, many sports journalists called him "The European Charles Barkley". While his nickname among his teammates was "Bembis" ("Baby").^[1]

Christodoulou's number 4 jersey was retired by Panionios. Christodoulou was inducted into the Greek League Hall of Fame in 2022.^[2] A FIBA Balkans Selection member, in 1991, and a two-time FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team selection, in 1993 and 1995, Christodoulou is also a candidate for the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Christodoulou started his playing career with the youth teams of the Greek club Dafni. In 1983, he was transferred from Dafni, to the Greek club Panionios. In exchange for the player rights to Christodoulou, Dafni received a transfer fee in the amount of 3 million Greek Drachmas, and six players. He ended up spending most of his pro club career with Panionios, where he played from 1983 to 1997. With Panionios, he won the Greek Cup title in the year 1991. With Panionios, he was also a member of the FIBA Balkans Selection team in 1991, and the Greek League MVP in 1993.

Christodoulou spent the last year of his club career playing with the Greek club Panathinaikos, after he signed a $1.6 million contract with the club in 1997. With Panathinaikos, he won the Greek League championship, in the 1997–98 season. After that, he retired from playing pro club basketball.

NBA draft rights

Christodoulou was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1987 NBA draft as the 90th pick overall, but decided to stay in Greece and didn't join the NBA.

National team career

Christodoulou was a member of the senior men's Greek national team that competed at the 1986 FIBA World Championship. With Greece, he won the gold medal at the 1987 FIBA EuroBasket. He also represented Greece at the 1988 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

After that, he won a silver medal at the 1989 FIBA EuroBasket. Christodoulou was also a member of the Greek national teams at the following major FIBA tournaments: the 1990 FIBA World Championship, the 1992 FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 1993 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1994 FIBA World Championship, the 1995 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and the 1997 FIBA EuroBasket.

Christodoulou also represented Greece at the 1983 Mediterranean Games, and at several Balkan Championships, where he won several medals. On an individual level, Christodoulou was named to the FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team at both the 1993 FIBA EuroBasket and the 1995 FIBA EuroBasket. He was also named the Acropolis Tournament's MVP in 1996.

Executive career

In 2022, Christodoulou became the general manager of the Greek Basketball League club Panionios.^[3]

Personal life

Christodoulou's older brother, Christos, was also a professional basketball player. They played together in the same club team, Panionios. His niece, Stella, is a professional volleyball player. He owns an OPAP betting shop in Paros, Greece. His family's hails is from Rozena Corinthia^[4]

Awards and accomplishments

Pro clubs

Greek League Champion: 1 (with Panathinaikos: 1997–98)
Greek Cup Winner: 1 (with Panionios: 1990–91)

Greek senior national team

Personal awards

Clubs

FIBA Balkans Selection: (1991 I)
2× Greek League All-Star: (1991, 1994 I)
Greek League MVP: (1993)
Number 4 jersey retired by Panionios
Greek League Hall of Fame: (2022)

Greek senior national team

FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team: 2 (1993, 1995)
Acropolis Tournament MVP: (1996)
FIBA Hall of Fame Candidate

References

External links

[1] Sports-Reference.com Fanis Khristodoulou Nickname(s): Bembis. Archived 2013-12-06 at the Wayback Machine

[2] Greek League Hall of Fame welcomes Ford, Bodiroga, Radja, Wilkins, Tarpley.

[3] Φάνης Χριστοδούλου: Επίσημη η μεγάλη επιστροφή στον Πανιώνιο!

[4] Ο δικός μας Φάνης έγινε 52 sportcyclades.gr

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