Kostas Sloukas
Konstantinos "Kostas" Sloukas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος "Κώστας" Σλούκας; born January 15, 1990) is a Greek professional basketball player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He is also a regular member of the senior National Team of Greece. He is a left-handed, 1.87m (6'2 ") tall point guard, who can also play at the shooting guard position. Sloukas has played in six EuroLeague Finals (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018), winning the title on three occasions (2012, 2013, and 2017). He was a member of the All-EuroLeague First Team in 2019. Early career . Sloukas began playing club basketball as a youth, with Megas Alexandros Thessaloniki. Then he moved to the Mandoulides School youth teams, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Professional career. Olympiacos Piraeus. Sloukas joined the Greek Basket League power Olympiacos Piraeus, in the year 2008. He then spent the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons with the club. He made his debut in Greece's top-tier level Basket League, during the 2008–09 season, and made his debut in Europe's top-tier level, the EuroLeague, during the 2009–10 season. He also won the Greek Cup title with Olympiacos, in 2010. Aris Thessaloniki loan. Sloukas was  loaned by Olympiacos, to the Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, in 2010. While a member of Aris, he was named the Greek Basket League's Best Young Player of the Greek Basket League 2010–11 season. With Aris, he also played in Europe's second-tier level competition, the EuroCup, during the same season. Back to Olympiacos Piraeus. After spending the 2010–11 season with Aris, on loan from Olympiacos, Sloukas returned to Olympiacos for the 2011–12 season. With Olympiacos, he went on to win both the 2012 Greek League championship, and the 2012 EuroLeague championship. He then signed a 3-year contract  extension with Olympiacos, in June 2012. With Olympiacos, Sloukas also won the 2013 EuroLeague championship, and the 2013 FIBA Intercontinental Cup championship. In his last season with Olympiacos, Sloukas was selected to the Greek League Best Five team, and he also played in the 2015 EuroLeague Finals. Fenerbahçe İstanbul. On June 29, 2015, Sloukas signed a three-year contract (with the 3rd year being optional) with the Turkish Super League club Fenerbahçe İstanbul. With Fenerbahçe, he made it to the 2016 EuroLeague Finals, and then won the 2017 EuroLeague championship. In the summer of 2017, Sloukas signed a new 3 -year contract with Fenerbahçe (with the 3rd year being optional), at a salary of €1.7 million euros net income per season. Sloukas played in his third straight EuroLeague Finals with Fenerbahçe, as the club also made it to the 2018 EuroLeague Finals, where they eventually lost to Real Madrid, by a score of 85–80. During the 2017–18 EuroLeague season, Sloukas averaged career-highs of 10 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, in 35 games played. As a member of Fenerbahçe, Sloukas also won three Turkish Super League championships (2016, 2017, 2018), the Turkish Cup (2016), and two  Turkish President's Super Cups (2016, 2017). On 25 April 2019, Sloukas, was the star yet again for the Turkish side as he finished the game with a double-double of 25 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals against BC Žalgiris helping his club to win the series with an aggregate 3-1 to secure a place in the FInal-4 for a fifth consecutive season. Sloukas has qualified for seven Final-4's in his career, with all seven appearances coming in the last eight seasons. On July 23, 2020 Sloukas and the Turkish club officially parted ways after  five successful seasons. Return to Olympiacos. On July 24, 2020, Sloukas signed a three-year contract with Olympiacos. National team career. Greek junior national team. With Greece's junior national teams, Sloukas won the silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, and the gold medal at the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he was also voted to the All-Tournament Team. He also won the silver medal at the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, and the gold medal at the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He also won the silver medal at the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20  Championship with Greece's junior national team. Greek senior national team. Sloukas became a member of the senior men's Greek national basketball team in 2011. With Greece's senior men's national team, he has played at the following tournaments: the EuroBasket 2011, the EuroBasket 2013, the 2014 FIBA World Cup, the EuroBasket 2015, and the EuroBasket 2017. He also played at the 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification. Personal life. Sloukas is nicknamed, "Slouky Luke" (pronounced Slucky Luke) or the "man who shoots and passes faster than his shadow", which is a word play on his name and the  Lucky Luke character. Awards and accomplishments. Pro career. Olympiacos Fenerbahçe