Anastasios "Soulis" Markopoulos (Greek: Ἀναστάσιος "Σούλης" Μαρκόπουλος; born March 1, 1949) is a Greek former professional basketball player and a professional basketball coach. He last coached Aris Thessaloniki of the Greek Basket League. He holds the all-time record for the most total games as a head coach, in the history of the Greek Championship. He was inducted into the Greek Basket League Hall of Fame in 2023.[1]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 1, 1949 Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 1967–1978 |
| Position | Head Coach |
| Coaching career | 1978–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1967–1972 | Olympos Saranta Ekklision |
| 1972–1978 | Dimokritos Thessaloniki |
| As coach: | |
| 1978–1987 | Dimokritos Thessaloniki |
| 1987–1990 | Iraklis Thessaloniki |
| 1993 | PAOK Thessaloniki (Assistant) |
| 1993–1994 | PAOK Thessaloniki |
| 1994–1996 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| 1998–1999 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| 2000–2001 | Makedonikos |
| 2002–2003 | Makedonikos |
| 2005–2006 | PAOK Thessaloniki |
| 2007 | AEK Athens |
| 2007–2009 | Maroussi Athens |
| 2009–2017 | PAOK Thessaloniki |
| 2019 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As head coach:
| |
Playing career
editMarkopoulos played club basketball with the Greek club Olympos Saranta Ekklision, from 1967 to 1972. He then played with the Greek club Dimokritos Thessaloniki, from 1972 to 1978. While he was with Dimokritos, he played multiple seasons in the top-tier level Greek Basket League.
Coaching career
editMarkopoulos has coached, in his career, teams such as: Iraklis Thessaloniki, PAOK Thessaloniki, Aris Thessaloniki, Makedonikos, AEK Athens, and Maroussi Athens. His most remarkable success was the acquisition of the FIBA Korać Cup title, while with PAOK ,in the 1993–94 season. In the Greek Basket League 2007–08 season, while coaching Maroussi, and qualifying to the semifinals of the Greek Basket League, he was voted the Greek League Best Coach.
He was also named the Greek League Best Coach in 2014.[2] In the summer of 2014, he extended his contract with PAOK through the 2018–19 season.[3] On 26 May 2017, PAOK announced the end of their cooperation with Markopoulos working as the club's head coach.[4]
Personal life
editMarkopoulos' son, Charis, is also a professional basketball coach, and former professional basketball player.[5]
References
edit- ^ Harris Stavrou (17 December 2023). "Κόρφας, Μαρκόπουλος, Μπουρούσης στο Hall of Fame της Α1" [Korfas, Markopoulos, Bourousis in the A1 Hall of Fame]. Sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ ESAKE.gr Καλύτερος προπονητής 2014: ΣΟΥΛΗΣ ΜΑΡΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ (in Greek).
- ^ EurocupBasketball.com Long-time PAOK coach Markopoulos signs with club through 2019. Archived 2014-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SPORT24 Τέλος ο Μαρκόπουλος από τον ΠΑΟΚ! (in Greek).
- ^ The first match up: Soulis Vs Charis Markopoulos.