Dimitris Diamantidis
Dimitrios Diamantidis (Greek Δημήτριος Διαμαντίδης, born May 6, 1980 in Kastoria ) is a Greek professional basketball player and is currently one of the best European players. The 1.96 m tall point guard is distinguished above all by its defensive qualities as well as its versatility and was voted the best defender of the ULEB Euro League six times.
Dimitrios Diamantidis was the beginning of 2008 to a circle of 105 basketball players who were nominated by the Euro League Basketball and / or basketball interested, actively fifty major personalities of the sport of basketball in Europe in the period 1958 to 2008, determine and subsequently in May 2008 in Madrid (Spain ) honor can. All nominated players have played a particularly prominent role in the European Cup competitions of FIBA Europe and the Euro League basketball and belonged respectively to the most prominent ' stars' of their national league teams.
Career
Diamantidis started his career in 1994 in his home town of Kastoria, before he moved to the Greek professional league in 1999 Iraklis Thessaloniki. In his second season with Iraklis Diamantidis established itself as a starting -five players and was voted MVP of the Greek A1 Ethniki 2004. In the summer of the same year he moved to Panathinaikos, where he is under contract today. With Panathinaikos managed the construction player in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2013vdas Double. In 2007 and 2009 he succeeded even triple. In the 2007 final he defeated Panathinaikos CSKA Moscow and was elected following the MVP of the match.
A record set Diamantidis, when he attended 245 games of Panathinaikos and the Greek national team between 6 July 2004 and 11 August 2007 and it never missed encounter.
16 November 2008 Diamantidis reached 1000 career assists as only the fourth player in the A1 Ethniki. A few weeks later, on 20 December of the same year, he reached, as also only the fourth player in the A1 Ethniki, 500 career steals. On 6 January 2011, he has Angelos Koronios overtaken in the time list and leads since the category for given assists on. On 22 January 2011, he overtook Koronios even with the steals and also took the lead in this category.
After Fragiskos Alvertis 2009, his career ended, is team captain Diamantidis of Panathinaikos.
National
His debut with the Greek national team was Diamantidis in the Mediterranean Games on September 5, 2001. 101:56 With a victory over Lebanon him get paid to six points. In 2005 he won the European Basketball Championships. Opponent in the final, which took place in Belgrade, was the German team led by Dirk Nowitzki. Diamantidis finished the tournament as the best assist donors and was elected to the All- Tournament team. In the semifinals against France him a few seconds before the final whistle with the score at 64:66 scored a three-point throw, which gave Greece the 67:66 victory and the final ticket. In the Basketball World Championship 2006 Diamantidis reached with Greece the final and won the silver medal there. On the way to the final selection of the Greek defeated Among other things, the only team to the national team from the United States.
With Greece Diamantidis also took part in the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008, was the Stankovic Cup and seven times won the Acropolis tournament once.
His retirement from the national team was Diamantidis 4 September 2010 after leaving in the World Cup knockout round against Spain known.
Game style
Diamantidis, who is left-handed, is considered as a versatile player that can be used in many positions. He often plays with Panathinaikos in addition to his actual position as shooting guard or small forward. Thanks to his athleticism and his ability to defend and aufposten against much bigger players, he was sometimes also on the position of power forward, as so-called Point Forward, situated mainly by his former coach Zeljko Obradovic. Diamantidis is considered currently the best European defensive player and was already six times ( five of them in a row) won Best Player in this category of the ULEB Euro League. He owes his nickname 3D his defensive qualities, what is the abbreviation for Dimitrios Diamantidis Defense. Because of its relative to its body size than average arms and thus its high rate of steals, Diamantidis is sometimes called in the Greek media also Octopus or Spiderman.
Achievements
- Greek champion: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
- Greek Cup winner: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
- ULEB Euro League: 2007, 2009, 2011
- European Championship: 2005
- Stanković Cup: 2006
- Vice World Champion: 2006
- Silver medal at the Mediterranean Championships: 2001
Awards
- Sportsman of the Year (Greece ): 2007
- MVP of the A1 Ethniki: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
- MVP of the Greek Playoffs: 2006, 2007, 2008
- MVP of the Acropolis Tournament: 2005, 2006
- MVP of the Euro League Finals: 2007, 2011
- MVP of the ULEB Euro League season 2010/2011
- MVP of the Greek Cup Finals: 2009
- ESAKE: Best Team of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
- Best defender of the ULEB Euro League: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
- Best defender of the A1 Ethniki: 2011
- All Euro League First Team: 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013
- European Championship All- Tournament Team: 2005
- 2nd European Championship team: 2005
- Participations in the Greek All Star Game: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
- Participation in the U -20 European Championship: 2000
- Participation in European championships: 2003, 2005, 2007
- Participation in world championships: 2006, 2010
- Participation in the Olympic Games: 2004, 2008