What motivates a young athlete to try harder and harder? What comes next after a succesful career? Thodoris Papaloukas as a "European Basketball Legend" describes the steps and the motives that brought him to the top of the European Basketball but, most importantly, what came next....
Theodoros “Teo” Papaloukas is a retired Greek professional basketball player. He was a four-time All-EuroLeague selection, a member of the EuroLeague 2001-10 All-Decade Team and was named one of the 50 greatest EuroLeague contributors in 2008.
A revolutionary figure in basketball, as illustrated by his unique ability to come off the bench and alter the course of an encounter, and his uncanny feel for the game, he symbolized the rise of European basketball in the new millennium.
Papaloukas started his career in 1995 and his performances with the latter earned him a transfer to EuroLeague powerhouse Olympiacos, where in 2002, he won his first title, the Greek Cup. A year later, he moved to Moscow for CSKA, the club that he would help to regain its past glory.
In 2006, Teo led CSKA to their first EuroLeague title in thirty-five years, and thus earning an All-EuroLeague First Team selection and the EuroLeague Final Four MVP award in the process. In 2008, he won his second EuroLeague title with CSKA, in what would be his last year in Moscow.
In the summer of 2008, Papaloukas returned to Olympiacos, and with them he reached another two EuroLeague Final Fours, thereby giving him a then record of eight consecutive EuroLeague Final Four appearances. On December 12, 2013, he was honored with a “EuroLeague Basketball Legend” Award. Papaloukas helped lead the Greek national team to a EuroBasket title, in 2005, as well as to a FIBA World Cup silver medal in 2006.
Nowadays, Teo is among the people with the most influence in Basketball and Sports Business in general, putting all of his energy to CSR programs with Euroleague Basketball and to his personal projects.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx