Vassilis Xanthopoulos (alternate spellings: Vasilis, Vasileios, Vasilios; Greek: Βασίλης Ξανθόπουλος; born 29 April 1984) is a Greek professional basketball player and the team captain for Peristeri of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the Basketball Champions League (BCL).[1] He is 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall and he plays at the point guard position. During his pro club career, Xanthopoulos won the World Club Championship FIBA Intercontinental Cup title in 2019, a European Triple Crown winner in 2007, the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague championship in 2007, and the European-wide secondary level FIBA Champions League championship in 2018.

Vassilis Xanthopoulos
Xanthopoulos in action with AEK Athens
No. 4 – Peristeri
PositionPoint guard
LeagueGBL
BCL
Personal information
Born (1984-04-29) 29 April 1984 (age 40)
Marousi, Athens, Greece
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2006: undrafted
Playing career2002–present
Career history
2002–2004Near East
2004–2005Panathinaikos
2005–2006PAOK Thessaloniki
2006–2007Panathinaikos
2007–2009Panionios
2009–2011Panellinios
2011–2012Panionios
2012–2013Panathinaikos
2013–2014Obradoiro
2014–2015Panionios
2015–2017Aris Thessaloniki
2017–2019AEK Athens
2019–2020Peristeri
2020–2022Kolossos Rodou
2022–2023AEK Athens
2023–presentPeristeri
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Greece
FIBA Under-21 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2005 Argentina U-21 Team
FIBA Under-19 World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Greece U-19 Team
FIBA Under-18 EuroBasket
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Germany U-18 Team

Early life and youth career

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Xanthopoulos grew up playing for the youth teams of the Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus. Xanthopoulos began playing with Olympiacos' junior teams in 1997. He began his senior men's club playing career with the Greek club Peiraikos Syndesmos, of the Greek 3rd Division, in the 2001–02 season.

Professional career

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Near East (2002–2004)

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Xanthopoulos started his professional career with the Greek Basket League club Near East in 2002.

Panathinaikos (2004–2005)

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Xanthopoulos transferred from Near East to the Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos in 2004.

PAOK (2005–2006)

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In 2005, Xanthopoulos was loaned by Panathinaikos to PAOK.

Panathinaikos (2006–2007)

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In 2006, Xanthopoulos returned to Panathinaikos Athens, and with them he won the European Triple Crown in 2007. His team accomplished this by winning the Greek League championship, the Greek Cup, and the EuroLeague all in the same season.

Panionios (2007–2009)

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In 2007, Xanthopoulos transferred to the Greek club Panionios.

Panellinios (2009–2011)

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In 2009, Xanthopoulos moved to the Greek club Panellinios.

Panionios (2011–2012)

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In 2011, Xanthopoulos rejoined Panionios.

Panathinaikos (2012–2013)

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In 2012, Xanthopoulos returned to Panathinaikos as an auxiliary player.[2]

Obradoiro (2013–2014)

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Xanthopoulos moved to the Spanish League club Obradoiro in 2013.

Panionios (2014–2015)

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Xanthopoulos returned for a second stint with Panionios in 2014.

Aris (2015–2017)

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In 2015, Xanthopoulos moved to Aris, where he spent two seasons.[3]

AEK (2007–2019)

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On July 5, 2017, Xanthopoulos moved to AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League, where he signed a one-year contract, with the option of renewal for another season.[4] With AEK, he won the Greek Cup title, in 2018, as well as the FIBA Champions League title during the same season.

Peristeri (2019–2020)

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On July 1, 2019, Xanthopoulos and AEK officially parted ways. Three days later, Xanthopoulos joined the Greek club Peristeri. He averaged 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game with Peristeri. On August 13, 2020, Xanthopoulos left the team.[5]

Kolossos Rodou (2020–2022)

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On August 21, 2020, Xanthopoulos moved to the Greek club Kolossos Rodou.[6] On June 30, 2021, he renewed his contract with the Greek island team, and was named team captain. In 17 games, he averaged 4.2 points (shooting with 36% from the 3-point line), 2.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1 steal in 20 minutes per contest. He was ruled out just before the end of the season, due to an unspecified injury.

Return to AEK (2022–2023)

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On August 29, 2022, Xanthopoulos returned to AEK for a second stint, following his Kolossos head coach Ilias Kantzouris to the team. In 22 league games, he averaged 2.4 points, 1 rebound and 3.8 assists in 14 minutes per contest.

Peristeri (2023–2024)

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On July 29, 2023, Xanthopoulos returned to Peristeri, under head coach Vassilis Spanoulis.

National team career

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Greek junior national team

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Xanthopoulos was a member of the Greek junior national teams. He won the bronze medal at the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, the bronze medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, and the silver medal at the 2005 FIBA Under-21 World Cup. He also played at the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.

Greek senior national team

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Xanthopoulos was also a member of the senior men's Greek national team. With Greece's senior national team, he played at the 2011 FIBA EuroBasket.

Career statistics

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Domestic Leagues

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Regular season

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Legend
  GP Games played  MPG  Minutes per game  FG%  Field goal percentage
 3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game
 PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high     Led the league

Note: Only games in the primary domestic competitions are included. Therefore, games in cup or European competitions are left out.

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2011–12 Panionios GBL 24 25.5 .413 .370 .412 1.7 4.0 1.4 0 6.6
2012–13 Panathinaikos GBL 24 14.1 .457 .483 .692 1.7 3.0 1.0 0 3.6
2013–14 Obradoiro ACB 34 17.3 .296 .278 .618 1.8 3.1 1.0 0 2.8
2014–15 Panionios GBL 24 27.0 .398 .339 .813 2.5 5.4 1.6 .1 6.8
2015–16 Aris GBL 25 16.4 .361 .265 .500 1.6 3.2 1.6 .1 2.7
2016–17 Aris GBL 26 21.2 .347 .328 .710 2.6 2.7 1.7 0 4.2
2017–18 A.E.K. GBL 26 17.4 .300 .229 .750 1.5 2.8 1.1 0 2.5
2018–19 A.E.K. GBL 13 16.2 .361 .350 .500 1.9 2.6 .5 .1 2.6

FIBA Champions League

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[7] [8]

Denotes seasons in which Vasilis Xanthopoulos won the FIBA Champions League
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Aris 18 19.6 .571 .429 .714 2.2 3.5 1.4 .0 3.3
2017–18 A.E.K. 20 17.3 .529 .400 .917 1.4 2.8 1.2 .0 2.7
2018–19 A.E.K. 8 16.3 .375 .200 - 1.0 3.0 1.1 0 .9

References

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  1. ^ "Συμφώνησε με το Περιστέρι ο Ξανθόπουλος". ertsports.gr (in Greek). Online. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ^ Euroleague.net PANATHINAIKOS brings back Xanthopoulos.
  3. ^ Aris adds experience with Xanthopoulos.
  4. ^ Xanthopoulos signed with AEK.
  5. ^ "Peristeri, Vasilis Xanthopoulos part ways". Sportando. August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  6. ^ "Vassilis Xanthopoulos signs with Kolossos Rhodes". Sportando. August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  7. ^ "AEK at the Basketball Champions League 2017-2018".
  8. ^ "AEK at the Basketball Champions League 2018-19 2019 - FIBA.basketball".
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