Loukas Mavrokefalidis
Encyclopedia
Loukas Mavrokefalidis (Greek
: Λουκάς Μαυροκεφαλίδης; born July 25, 1984 in Geseni (Jeseník
), Czechoslovakia
) is a Greek
professional basketball player. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
in the 2nd round (57th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft
.
, moving to Thessaloniki
from Kilkis
, where his parents come from. From the first days of his professional career, PAOK coach Bane Preljevic
took advantage of his height and decided to play him at the center
position which, as it was proved later in his career, fit him very well.
A 2.10 m (6 ft 10¾ in) forward-center
, Mavrokefalidis played for PAOK in the Greek League
during the Greek League 2005-06 season
, averaging 16.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He played in the Greek All-Star Game
and he won the Greek League's Most Improved Player Award that year. After many months of hard work, Mavrokefalidis was almost always a member of the starting five in PAOK, creating havoc to the opposition's defense with his ability to get to the rim and make easy buckets or exciting dunks. He also became a defensive force, chasing down rebounds relentlessly, something that can be shown by the 8.4 rebounds per game that he averaged during the 2005-06 season.
During the summer of 2006, Mavrokefalidis was signed by Virtus Roma of the Italian League
, but he was not established as a key member of the team, averaging just 2 points and 1 rebound per game. In February 2007, he was traded from Roma to Pamesa Valencia of the Spanish ACB League
in exchange for Roberto Chiacig
and Jon Stefánsson
. On July 12, 2007, Mavrokefalidis joined Olympiacos Piraeus
. In 2008, Mavrokefalidis moved to Maroussi
. In 2009, he re-signed with Olympiacos through the 2010-11 season. In 2011, Mavrokefalidis was signed by the Russian League club Spartak Saint Petersburg
to a 2 year contract worth €
2.4 million euros net income
.
. He also played at the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
. In 2005, Mavrokefalidis' contribution during the FIBA Under-21 World Championship
was very significant, as Mavrokefalidis greatly helped the Under-21 Greek National Basketball Team win the silver medal, after losing to Lithuania
by just two points in the gold medal game.
A year later, in 2006, the senior men's Greek national basketball team
coach Panagiotis Giannakis
became impressed by the young center's abilities and called him to participate in the Greek basketball senior men's training camp, one month before the 2006 FIBA World Championship
took place in Japan
. However, as he was selected in the 2006 NBA Draft
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
, Mavrokefalidis informed the coach shortly before the outset of the World Championship that he decided to go back to Minnesota
and participate in performance improvement training camps, and thus he lost the team's 12th man roster place to Sofoklis Schortsanitis
.
In 2011, Mavrokefalidis was given a 2 month suspension from all competitions by the Greek Basketball Federation, for refusing to play for Greece's national team for the second consecutive summer.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Λουκάς Μαυροκεφαλίδης; born July 25, 1984 in Geseni (Jeseník
Jeseník
Jeseník , Frývaldov until 1948 is a city and a district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic.- Districts :* Bukovice * Dětřichov * Jeseník * Lázně Jeseník - History :...
), Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
) is a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
professional basketball player. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
in the 2nd round (57th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft
2006 NBA Draft
The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players,...
.
Pro career
Mavrokefalidis started his professional career at PAOKPAOK BC
P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki B.C. is the professional basketball department of the Greek multi-sports club P.A.O.K., originally founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues...
, moving to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
from Kilkis
Kilkis
Kilkis is an industrial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2001 there were 17,430 people living in the city proper, 24,812 people living in the municipal unit, and 56,336 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city of the regional unit of Kilkis.-Name:Kilkis is located in a...
, where his parents come from. From the first days of his professional career, PAOK coach Bane Preljevic
Branislav Prelevic
Branislav "Bane" Prelević is a retired Serbian-Greek professional basketball player. Prelević was born to Serbian parents in Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia. Prelević holds Serbian-Greek dual citizenship because of having Hellenic ancestry.-PAOK BC:He started his career with Red Star Belgrade...
took advantage of his height and decided to play him at the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position which, as it was proved later in his career, fit him very well.
A 2.10 m (6 ft 10¾ in) forward-center
Forward-Center
Forward–center is a basketball position for players who play or have played both forward and center on a consistent basis. Typically, this means power forward and center, since these are usually the two biggest player positions on any basketball team, and therefore more often overlap each...
, Mavrokefalidis played for PAOK in the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
during the Greek League 2005-06 season
A1 Ethniki 2005-06
-Standings:Pts=Points, P=Matches played, W=Matches won, L=Matches lost, F=Points for, A=Points against, D=Points difference-Results:-Bracket:- Panathinaikos vs. Panionios:Panathinaikos win the series 2-0- Olympiacos vs. AEK Athens:...
, averaging 16.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He played in the Greek All-Star Game
HEBA Greek All Star Game
The Greek HEBA All-Star Game, also known as the Greek ΕΣΑΚΕ All Star Game is the All Star Game of the HEBA Greek basketball association for men, was founded and organized by GUS SARIANIDES which features players from the top Greek pro basketball league the HEBA A1 Division. The game is played in a...
and he won the Greek League's Most Improved Player Award that year. After many months of hard work, Mavrokefalidis was almost always a member of the starting five in PAOK, creating havoc to the opposition's defense with his ability to get to the rim and make easy buckets or exciting dunks. He also became a defensive force, chasing down rebounds relentlessly, something that can be shown by the 8.4 rebounds per game that he averaged during the 2005-06 season.
During the summer of 2006, Mavrokefalidis was signed by Virtus Roma of the Italian League
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, but he was not established as a key member of the team, averaging just 2 points and 1 rebound per game. In February 2007, he was traded from Roma to Pamesa Valencia of the Spanish ACB League
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
in exchange for Roberto Chiacig
Roberto Chiacig
Roberto Chiacig is a basketball center from Italy, who won the silver medal with the Italian men's national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece...
and Jon Stefánsson
Jón Arnór Stefánsson
Jón Arnór Stefánsson is an Icelandic basketball player who currently plays with CAI Zaragoza in Spain and also is a member of the Icelandic national team. He won the FIBA EuroCup title in 2005 with Dynamo Saint Petersburg.-External links:**...
. On July 12, 2007, Mavrokefalidis joined Olympiacos Piraeus
Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
. In 2008, Mavrokefalidis moved to Maroussi
Maroussi BC
Maroussi Athens B.C. , is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in Maroussi, a northern suburb of Athens, Greece. The club's full name is Gymnastikos Syllogos Amarousiou. The club competes in the Greek League. Its long-time owner was Armodios Vovos of the BVIC construction firm...
. In 2009, he re-signed with Olympiacos through the 2010-11 season. In 2011, Mavrokefalidis was signed by the Russian League club Spartak Saint Petersburg
Spartak Saint Petersburg
BC Spartak Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The club is currently in the Russian Professional Basketball League.-Honors:*Soviet/Russian Super League:**2 times Champions...
to a 2 year contract worth €
Euro sign
The euro sign is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the Eurozone in the European Union . The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. The international three-letter code for the euro is EUR...
2.4 million euros net income
Net income
Net income is the residual income of a firm after adding total revenue and gains and subtracting all expenses and losses for the reporting period. Net income can be distributed among holders of common stock as a dividend or held by the firm as an addition to retained earnings...
.
Greek national team
Mavrokefalidis helped Greece win the bronze medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-19 World Championship
The FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
. He also played at the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
-Championship:-5th–8th playoffs:-Final standings:-Points:-Rebounds:-Assists:-All-Tournament Team: Yotam Halperin Ivan Koljevic Konstantinos Vasileiadis Linas Kleiza Erazem Lorbek-References:**...
. In 2005, Mavrokefalidis' contribution during the FIBA Under-21 World Championship
FIBA Under-21 World Championship
The FIBA Under-21 World Championship was a men's under-21-only basketball competition organized by FIBA. It was formerly the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship before FIBA lowered the age limit to 21 years in December 1998, and had its name changed to World Championship for Young Men. The...
was very significant, as Mavrokefalidis greatly helped the Under-21 Greek National Basketball Team win the silver medal, after losing to Lithuania
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
by just two points in the gold medal game.
A year later, in 2006, the senior men's Greek national basketball team
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
coach Panagiotis Giannakis
Panagiotis Giannakis
Panagiotis Giannakis , nicknamed "The Dragon", is a retired Greek professional basketball player and coach. He is the former head coach of the pro club Olympiacos, and the Greek National Basketball Team. Under Giannakis' guidance, the Greek National team won the gold medal at the 2005 EuroBasket...
became impressed by the young center's abilities and called him to participate in the Greek basketball senior men's training camp, one month before the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
took place in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. However, as he was selected in the 2006 NBA Draft
2006 NBA Draft
The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players,...
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, Mavrokefalidis informed the coach shortly before the outset of the World Championship that he decided to go back to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and participate in performance improvement training camps, and thus he lost the team's 12th man roster place to Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a Greek professional basketball player. He was born in Tiko, Cameroon, to a Greek father and a Cameroonian mother.He is listed at and...
.
In 2011, Mavrokefalidis was given a 2 month suspension from all competitions by the Greek Basketball Federation, for refusing to play for Greece's national team for the second consecutive summer.
Awards and accomplishments
- FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipThe FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
: Bronze Medal (2003) - FIBA Under-21 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-21 World ChampionshipThe FIBA Under-21 World Championship was a men's under-21-only basketball competition organized by FIBA. It was formerly the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship before FIBA lowered the age limit to 21 years in December 1998, and had its name changed to World Championship for Young Men. The...
: Silver Medal (2005) - 3x Greek All Star GameHEBA Greek All Star GameThe Greek HEBA All-Star Game, also known as the Greek ΕΣΑΚΕ All Star Game is the All Star Game of the HEBA Greek basketball association for men, was founded and organized by GUS SARIANIDES which features players from the top Greek pro basketball league the HEBA A1 Division. The game is played in a...
: (2006, 2009, 2011) - Greek LeagueA1 EthnikiThe Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
: Most Improved Player (2006) - Won 2 Greek CupsGreek basketball CupThe Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
: (2010, 2011)