Panagiotis Giannakis
Encyclopedia
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 Championship
, and the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
in Japan. Giannakis also coached an Athenian professional team, Maroussi
, which he led to the forefront of Greek League
basketball.
A true floor general from the point guard
position, Giannakis began his pro career in Greece with Ionikos Nikaias
, before moving to Aris
, where he spent the major part of his career. In Thessaloniki
, he led the Yellows (Aris) to three consecutive Euroleague Final Four
s between 1988 and 1990, as well as to a Saporta Cup
title in 1993. In the summer of 1993, he was transferred to Panionios
, and finally a year later, to Panathinaikos, with whom he won a Euroleague
championship in 1996. On February 3, 2008, Giannakis was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
as one of the 35 Greatest Euroleague Players over the last half-century by the Euroleague
Basketball Experts Committee.
Giannakis was, along with Nikos Galis, one of the stars of the legendary 1987 National Team
that put Greece on the world basketball map. He was their captain
when they won the EuroBasket
of 1987
, and were the silver-medalists at the same championship two years later
. Furthermore, Giannakis was an important member of the national team when they reached the EuroBasket semifinals in 1993
and 1995
, as well as the FIBA World Championship
semifinals in 1994
.
neighborhood of Nikaia
, Athens
. Ηis parents, Dimitris, owner of a motorbike workshop, and Kalliope, a weaver
, gave birth to five boys. Panagiotis is the youngest child of the family.
Giannakis started playing football around his neighborhood. He showed an early inclination to sport and tried basketball
. He began watching the matches of a local basketball club, and later he was approached by the coach of the youth team of Ionikos Nikaias
, who proposed to him that he join their team.
youth team in 1971. His first coach, Giorgos Vassilakopoulos
, moved him up to the sporting club's
men's first team, from the youth squad at the age of just 13. His exceptional play at such a young age drew the eyes of pro basketball experts on him. In 1982, he was selected by the Boston Celtics
, at number 207 of the 1982 NBA Draft
.
, for a huge amount of money (for the time). There, he teamed up with Nick Galis
, to form one half of an historic "tag-team" that took Greek and European basketball by storm for years to come.
His first season with Aris, the 1984-85 season was a great success. He won the Greek Championship
with the team, and in the Greek Cup
championship final game, he made 8 out of 12 3-pointers, leading his team to victory over Panathinaikos. And this was only the beginning, as 6 more consecutive Greek Championships and 5 more Greek Cup championships with Aris were to follow.
After 9 years with Aris, Giannakis moved to the Greek club Panionios
for the 1993-94 season. He stayed there for a year, and then moved again to the Greek club Panathinaikos, where he played from 1994–96, and he finished his career there as a player.
, he took part in 3 consecutive Euroleague Final Four
s: Ghent
(1988), Munich
(1989), and Saragosa (1990). Aris joined the elite of European basketball clubs, but a European title did not come for Giannakis until much later, in 1993, when he won the Saporta Cup
, in Torino. By then, Nick Galis
had left Aris and joined Panathinaikos, and Giannakis had become the de facto leader and franchise player of Aris.
In 1995, Giannakis moved to Panathinaikos, where he finally won the Euroleague
title in 1996, in Paris
. He also won the Greek Cup
championship with Panathinaikos that same year, making it the 7th Greek Cup championship he won in his playing career, to go along with his 7 Greek League
championships. He ended his pro career having competed in 5 Euroleague Final Four
s (3 with Aris
and 2 with Panathinaikos).
to the silver medal at the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
of 1975
. A year later, he debuted with the senior men's Greek national basketball team
, as a 17 year old, versus the Czechoslovakian national basketball team
.
He won in 1979, the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games
. He was also the captain
of the senior men's Greek national squad that won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 1987
, and the silver medal at the EuroBasket 1989
. During his playing time with the national team, Greece participated in 27 international competitions. He retired from the national team as a player on August 2, 1996, after taking part in the 1996 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament
at Atlanta.
Giannakis is also a member of the Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
, inducted as a player.
of the Greek National Team
in 1997. He stayed the head coach of the national team for 2 years, leading the team to a 4th place finish at the EuroBasket 1997
, and a 4th place finish at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
.
He then moved to the professional club level, and coached Panionios
, until 2002, when he was then named the head coach of Maroussi
. He stayed with Maroussi until 2006, having taken over the team in relative obscurity and having turned it into the 3rd most prominent team in the Greek League
, along with the help of his star point guard Vassilis Spanoulis
, whose playing style and player attributes were often compared to Giannakis'.
He returned to coach the national team in 2004, for the 2004 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament
, where he led the Greek team to a 5th place finish. The next year, under his coaching, Greece won the EuroBasket 2005
competition for the second time in its history. After 2006, he no longer simultaneously coached on the professional club level and national team level, as he decided to focus his full attention on the Greek national team only. In 2006, he coached the national team of Greece to a second place finish at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
. In the World Championship
's semi-final game, held on September 1, 2006, Giannakis' Greek team beat the heavily favored United States national basketball team for the first time, by a score of 101-95.
On the 3rd of February 2008, Giannakis signed on to coach the Euroleague
power Olympiacos
, with a 2-and-a-half year contract, at an annual salary of €
1.1 million euros net income
. Giannakis also made an additional annual salary of €1.2 million euros net income while coaching the Greek national basketball team
. In December 2008, he ended his tenure as the head coach of Greece's national team and was succeeded by Jonas Kazlauskas
.
In June 2010, Olympiacos announced that Giannakis wouldn't coach the team next season. During the two and a half year period, Giannakis guided the team to its first trophy in eight years, winning the 2010 Greek Cup
, and he also led the team to two consecutive Euroleague Final Four
s (in one of them the team reached the final), for the first time since 1998, and to three consecutive Greek League
finals.
(As a head coach):
In 2010, he lost his brother (the fourth he had lost in the last decade) before a derby
with Panathinaikos.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach. He is the former head coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
of the pro club Olympiacos, and the 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...
. Under Giannakis' guidance, the Greek National team won the gold medal at the 2005 EuroBasket Championship
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
, and the silver medal at 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...
in Japan. Giannakis also coached an Athenian professional team, 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...
, which he led to the forefront of 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...
basketball.
A true floor general from the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position, Giannakis began his pro career in Greece with Ionikos Nikaias
Ionikos Nikaias BC
Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC (in Greek: KAE Iωνικός Νικαίας is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded in Nikaia, Piraeus in 1965.-Arena:...
, before moving to Aris
Aris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, where he spent the major part of his career. In 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...
, he led the Yellows (Aris) to three consecutive Euroleague Final Four
Euroleague Final Four
The Euroleague Final Four is the final four format championship of the Euroleague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague used the final four format for the first time during the 1987-88 season. It is known as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four for sponsorship reasons...
s between 1988 and 1990, as well as to a Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
title in 1993. In the summer of 1993, he was transferred to Panionios
Panionios Forthnet
Panionios B.C. is the Greek professional basketball club that plays its home games in Nea Smyrni, Athens, Greece. The club is also widely known as Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης, or Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis, which is the Pan-Ionian Gymnastic Association of Smyrna. This is...
, and finally a year later, to Panathinaikos, with whom he won a Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
championship in 1996. On February 3, 2008, Giannakis was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
The 50 Greatest Contributors in Euroleague History were chosen on February 3, 2008, in Madrid, Spain. The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary since the founding of the FIBA European Champions Cup, officially recognized as the predecessor to today's Euroleague.The list was made up of the...
as one of the 35 Greatest Euroleague Players over the last half-century by the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Basketball Experts Committee.
Giannakis was, along with Nikos Galis, one of the stars of the legendary 1987 National 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...
that put Greece on the world basketball map. He was their captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
when they won the EuroBasket
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
of 1987
Eurobasket 1987
The EuroBasket 1987 was held in Greece between June 3 and June 14, 1987. Twelve national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body...
, and were the silver-medalists at the same championship two years later
EuroBasket 1989
-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:#Yugoslavia: Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Vlade Divac, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Predrag Danilović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac...
. Furthermore, Giannakis was an important member of the national team when they reached the EuroBasket semifinals in 1993
EuroBasket 1993
-Venues:-First round:-A - Karlsruhe:-B - Berlin:-C - Karlsruhe:-D - Berlin:-Second round:-E - Karlsruhe:-F - Berlin:-Finals in Munich:-Places 5-8 in Munich:-Finals in Munich:-Final rankings:# # #...
and 1995
EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
, as well as the FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
semifinals in 1994
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
.
Early years
Giannakis was born and raised in a poorWorking poor
- Definition in the United States :There are several popular definitions of "working poor" in the United States. According to the US Department of Labor, the working poor "are persons who spent at least 27 weeks [in the past year] in the labor force , but whose incomes fell below the official...
neighborhood of Nikaia
Nikaia, Attica
Nikaia is a suburb in the northern part of Piraeus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Ηis parents, Dimitris, owner of a motorbike workshop, and Kalliope, a weaver
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, gave birth to five boys. Panagiotis is the youngest child of the family.
Giannakis started playing football around his neighborhood. He showed an early inclination to sport and tried basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He began watching the matches of a local basketball club, and later he was approached by the coach of the youth team of Ionikos Nikaias
Ionikos Nikaias BC
Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC (in Greek: KAE Iωνικός Νικαίας is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded in Nikaia, Piraeus in 1965.-Arena:...
, who proposed to him that he join their team.
First steps
Giannakis began his career with the Ionikos NikaiasIonikos Nikaias BC
Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC (in Greek: KAE Iωνικός Νικαίας is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded in Nikaia, Piraeus in 1965.-Arena:...
youth team in 1971. His first coach, Giorgos Vassilakopoulos
Giorgos Vassilakopoulos
George Vassilakopoulos is a former professional basketball player, the former President of FIBA Europe, the European division of the international governing body of the sport of basketball, FIBA, and the current President of the Hellenic Basketball Federation.-Basketball playing...
, moved him up to the sporting club's
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
men's first team, from the youth squad at the age of just 13. His exceptional play at such a young age drew the eyes of pro basketball experts on him. In 1982, he was selected by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, at number 207 of the 1982 NBA Draft
1982 NBA Draft
The 1982 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1982 at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.-Key:-Draft:-Other picks:-External links:**...
.
Greek League
On August 3, 1984, Giannakis transferred to the Greek club Aris ThessalonikiAris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, for a huge amount of money (for the time). There, he teamed up with Nick Galis
Nick Galis
Nikolaos Georgalis , commonly known as either Nikos Galis , or Nick Galis , is a retired Greek professional basketball player...
, to form one half of an historic "tag-team" that took Greek and European basketball by storm for years to come.
His first season with Aris, the 1984-85 season was a great success. He won the Greek Championship
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...
with the team, and in the Greek Cup
Greek basketball Cup
The 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:...
championship final game, he made 8 out of 12 3-pointers, leading his team to victory over Panathinaikos. And this was only the beginning, as 6 more consecutive Greek Championships and 5 more Greek Cup championships with Aris were to follow.
After 9 years with Aris, Giannakis moved to the Greek club Panionios
Panionios Forthnet
Panionios B.C. is the Greek professional basketball club that plays its home games in Nea Smyrni, Athens, Greece. The club is also widely known as Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης, or Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis, which is the Pan-Ionian Gymnastic Association of Smyrna. This is...
for the 1993-94 season. He stayed there for a year, and then moved again to the Greek club Panathinaikos, where he played from 1994–96, and he finished his career there as a player.
European cup competitions
With ArisAris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, he took part in 3 consecutive Euroleague Final Four
Euroleague Final Four
The Euroleague Final Four is the final four format championship of the Euroleague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague used the final four format for the first time during the 1987-88 season. It is known as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four for sponsorship reasons...
s: Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
(1988), Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(1989), and Saragosa (1990). Aris joined the elite of European basketball clubs, but a European title did not come for Giannakis until much later, in 1993, when he won the Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
, in Torino. By then, Nick Galis
Nick Galis
Nikolaos Georgalis , commonly known as either Nikos Galis , or Nick Galis , is a retired Greek professional basketball player...
had left Aris and joined Panathinaikos, and Giannakis had become the de facto leader and franchise player of Aris.
In 1995, Giannakis moved to Panathinaikos, where he finally won the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
title in 1996, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He also won the Greek Cup
Greek basketball Cup
The 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:...
championship with Panathinaikos that same year, making it the 7th Greek Cup championship he won in his playing career, to go along with his 7 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...
championships. He ended his pro career having competed in 5 Euroleague Final Four
Euroleague Final Four
The Euroleague Final Four is the final four format championship of the Euroleague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague used the final four format for the first time during the 1987-88 season. It is known as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four for sponsorship reasons...
s (3 with Aris
Aris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
and 2 with Panathinaikos).
Greek national team
Giannakis led the Greek junior national teamGreece men's national under-16 and under-17 basketball team
The Greek Under 16 and Under 17 national basketball team , is the representative for Greece in international basketball competitions, and it is organized and run by the Greek Basketball Federation...
to the silver medal at the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Cadets, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1971. Until 2003 it was held every second year, but from 2003 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Croatia.-Results:-Performances by nation:-MVP...
of 1975
1975 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
-17th-18th playoffs:-9th–12th playoffs:-13th–16th playoffs:-Championship:-5th–8th playoffs:-Final standings:-References:**...
. A year later, he debuted with 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...
, as a 17 year old, versus the Czechoslovakian national basketball team
Czechoslovakia national basketball team
The Czechoslovakian national basketball team was the basketball side that represented Czechoslovakia in international competitions. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia set up their own national teams.- Medals :...
.
He won in 1979, the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games
Mediterranean Games
The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first...
. He was also the captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the senior men's Greek national squad that won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 1987
Eurobasket 1987
The EuroBasket 1987 was held in Greece between June 3 and June 14, 1987. Twelve national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body...
, and the silver medal at the EuroBasket 1989
EuroBasket 1989
-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:#Yugoslavia: Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Vlade Divac, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Predrag Danilović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac...
. During his playing time with the national team, Greece participated in 27 international competitions. He retired from the national team as a player on August 2, 1996, after taking part in the 1996 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
at Atlanta.
Giannakis is also a member of the Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
Greek Basketball Hall of Fame
The Greek Basketball Hall of Fame is the sports hall of fame for professional basketball players and coaches that play and coach in the top professional basketball league of Greece, the Greek A1 League...
, inducted as a player.
Career as a head coach
Unconventionally, the very next year after he retired from the Greek national team, he started his coaching career as the head coachCoach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
of the Greek National 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...
in 1997. He stayed the head coach of the national team for 2 years, leading the team to a 4th place finish at the EuroBasket 1997
EuroBasket 1997
-Venues:The tournament was played at three venues in Spain. Girona and Badalona hosted the first and the second round, while the entire knockout stage was played at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona.-First round:-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:...
, and a 4th place finish at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
.
He then moved to the professional club level, and coached Panionios
Panionios Forthnet
Panionios B.C. is the Greek professional basketball club that plays its home games in Nea Smyrni, Athens, Greece. The club is also widely known as Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης, or Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis, which is the Pan-Ionian Gymnastic Association of Smyrna. This is...
, until 2002, when he was then named the head coach of 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...
. He stayed with Maroussi until 2006, having taken over the team in relative obscurity and having turned it into the 3rd most prominent team 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...
, along with the help of his star point guard Vassilis Spanoulis
Vassilis Spanoulis
Vassilis Spanoulis is a Greek professional basketball player who plays for the Greek League and Euroleague club Olympiacos Piraeus. A 6 ft 4 in tall guard, Spanoulis first played for GS Larissa and enjoyed a highly successful career start, winning the Greek League's award for Best Young...
, whose playing style and player attributes were often compared to Giannakis'.
He returned to coach the national team in 2004, for the 2004 Summer Olympics Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
, where he led the Greek team to a 5th place finish. The next year, under his coaching, Greece won the EuroBasket 2005
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
competition for the second time in its history. After 2006, he no longer simultaneously coached on the professional club level and national team level, as he decided to focus his full attention on the Greek national team only. In 2006, he coached the national team of Greece to a second place finish at 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...
. In the World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
's semi-final game, held on September 1, 2006, Giannakis' Greek team beat the heavily favored United States national basketball team for the first time, by a score of 101-95.
On the 3rd of February 2008, Giannakis signed on to coach the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
power Olympiacos
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...
, with a 2-and-a-half year contract, at an annual salary of €
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...
1.1 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...
. Giannakis also made an additional annual salary of €1.2 million euros net income while coaching the 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...
. In December 2008, he ended his tenure as the head coach of Greece's national team and was succeeded by Jonas Kazlauskas
Jonas Kazlauskas
Jonas Kazlauskas is a Lithuanian professional basketball coach and former Soviet professional basketball player. He is not to be confused with the late Lithuanian linguist, also named Jonas Kazlauskas...
.
In June 2010, Olympiacos announced that Giannakis wouldn't coach the team next season. During the two and a half year period, Giannakis guided the team to its first trophy in eight years, winning the 2010 Greek Cup
Greek basketball Cup
The 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:...
, and he also led the team to two consecutive Euroleague Final Four
Euroleague Final Four
The Euroleague Final Four is the final four format championship of the Euroleague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague used the final four format for the first time during the 1987-88 season. It is known as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four for sponsorship reasons...
s (in one of them the team reached the final), for the first time since 1998, and to three consecutive 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...
finals.
Awards and accomplishments
(As a player):- Selected by the NBA professional club the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the 1982 NBA Draft1982 NBA DraftThe 1982 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1982 at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.-Key:-Draft:-Other picks:-External links:**...
. - Won the gold medal at the 1979 Mediterranean GamesBasketball at the Mediterranean GamesBasketball has been played consistently at the Mediterranean Games since the year 1951 for men and since the year 1987 for women. The Yugoslavian national basketball team is the most successful men's team and the Croatian women's national basketball team is the most successful team for women.-Men's...
. - Won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 1987Eurobasket 1987The EuroBasket 1987 was held in Greece between June 3 and June 14, 1987. Twelve national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body...
. - Won the silver medal at the EuroBasket 1989EuroBasket 1989-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:#Yugoslavia: Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Vlade Divac, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Predrag Danilović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac...
. - Won the EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
(1996). - Won the Saporta CupSaporta CupSaporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
(1993). - Won 7 consecutive Greek ChampionshipsA1 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...
: (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991). - Won 7 Greek CupGreek 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:...
Championships: (1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996). - In total, he won 16 championships in his pro club career as a player.
- Greek League Scoring Leader: (1980)
- His personal best for points scored in a single game is 73 points scored, in 1981, as a player of Ionikos NikaiasIonikos Nikaias BCIonikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC (in Greek: KAE Iωνικός Νικαίας is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded in Nikaia, Piraeus in 1965.-Arena:...
(which ironically occurred against ArisAris BCAris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, his future team). - Along with Nick GalisNick GalisNikolaos Georgalis , commonly known as either Nikos Galis , or Nick Galis , is a retired Greek professional basketball player...
, he led ArisAris BCAris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
to an 80 game winning streak in the 1980s. - He holds the record for national team capsCap (sport)In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
with 351 with the senior men's Greek National Basketball TeamGreece national basketball teamThe 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...
, which is also a record for any European player. - He scored 9,291 points in 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...
competitions (3rd all-time) and 5,309 points with the Greek national team (the record holder). - When he retired from his playing career, he held the records for the most games played in the Greek ChampionshipA1 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...
(493), and the most games played in the EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
(163). - Member of the Greek Basketball Hall of FameGreek Basketball Hall of FameThe Greek Basketball Hall of Fame is the sports hall of fame for professional basketball players and coaches that play and coach in the top professional basketball league of Greece, the Greek A1 League...
, inducted as a player. - Selected to the EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
50th anniversary Euroleague's 35 greatest all time players list in 2008.
(As a head coach):
- Coached the Greek national teamGreece national basketball teamThe 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...
to the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2005Eurobasket 2005The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
. - He is the only person to win the EuroBasketEurobasketThe EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
both as a player (EuroBasket 1987Eurobasket 1987The EuroBasket 1987 was held in Greece between June 3 and June 14, 1987. Twelve national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body...
) and as a head coach (EuroBasket 2005Eurobasket 2005The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
). - Coached Greece to the gold medal at the 2006 Stankovic Cup2006 Stankovic Continental Champions' CupThe 2006 Stanković Continental Champions' Cup of the annual Stanković Cup Tournament was held in Nanjing and Kunshan, People's Republic of China from August 11 to 15....
tournament. - Coached Greece to the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship2006 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 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...
. - Coached OlympiacosOlympiacos BCOlympiacos 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...
to win the Greek CupGreek 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:...
in 2010.
Personal life
He is married to Eugenia and has two children, Kalliope and Dimitris.In 2010, he lost his brother (the fourth he had lost in the last decade) before a derby
Derby of the eternal enemies (basketball)
Derby Οf Τhe Εternal Εnemies , also called Mother of all the battles , is the name of the basketball local derby in the Greek capital between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos...
with Panathinaikos.