Ioannis Kouzeloglou (alternate spelling: Giannis) (Greek: Γιάννης Κουζέλογλου, born on April 1, 1995[1]) is a Greek professional basketball player and the vice-captain for AEK Athens of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Standing at 2.07 m (6'9½") tall, he plays at the power forward position.[2]

Ioannis Kouzeloglou
Kouzeloglou in 2023
No. 24 – AEK Athens
PositionPower forward
LeagueGreek Basket League
Personal information
Born (1995-04-01) April 1, 1995 (age 29)
Thessaloniki, Greece
Listed height6 ft 9.5 in (2.07 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2017: undrafted
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2015Partizan
2015–2017Apollon Patras
2017–2020Lavrio
2020–2021Aris Thessaloniki
2021Élan Béarnais
2021Iraklis Thessaloniki
2021–2022AEK Athens
2022–2023Lavrio
2023San Pablo Burgos
2023–presentAEK Athens

Professional career

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Kouzeloglou started his basketball career in the Greek basketball academy Mantoulidis Schools. On September 3, 2014, he signed a four–year deal with the Serbian Adriatic League team Partizan.[3] The Greek player spent the 2014–15 season playing mostly for Partizan's junior team, but he also managed to make four appearances with the first team.

Kouzeloglou parted ways with Partizan on October 26, 2015,[4] and on October 28, 2015, he agreed to terms with the Greek Basket League club Apollon Patras,[5] where played the next two seasons. On July 4, 2017, he signed with Lavrio.[6] During the 2019–20 season, Kouzeloglou was named team captain.

 
Kouzeloglou with Lavrio in 2018

On September 20, 2020, he signed with Aris Thessaloniki.[7] After a very successful season (career-high averages of 10.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest in a total of 21 games), which also brought him into the ranks of the senior national team, Kouzeloglou amicably parted ways with the Greek team in order to join the French club Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez.[8]

On July 24, 2021, he returned to Greece for Iraklis Thessaloniki. On December 31, 2021, he parted ways with the team over the legality of his contract submitted to the league authorities. On the same day, Kouzeloglou signed with AEK Athens for the rest of the season.[9] In 26 league games (16 with AEK and 10 with Iraklis), he averaged 9 points, 6 rebounds and 0.9 assists, playing around 23 minutes per contest.

On November 24, 2022, Kouzeloglou made his return to Lavrio after two years. On February 28, 2023, he moved to Spanish club San Pablo Burgos for the rest of the season.

On July 4, 2023, Kouzeloglou returned to AEK Athens, signing a two-year contract.[10]

Greek national team

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Kouzeloglou also played with the junior national teams of Greece. With Greece's junior national teams, he played at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Ioannis KOUZELOGLOU (GRE) DOB: 1 Apr.1995 Place of birth: Thessaloniki (GRE).
  2. ^ ΚΟΥΖΕΛΟΓΛΟΥ Γιάννης | ΥΨΟΣ 2,07 (in Greek).
  3. ^ "Crno–belu sedmicu zadužio Janis Kuzeloglu". kkpartizan.rs (in Serbian). Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Srećno Janise!". kkpartizan.rs (in Serbian). 26 October 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  5. ^ Apollon Patras signed Giannis Kouzeloglou.
  6. ^ Λαυριώτης, ο Κουζέλογλου!. (in Greek)
  7. ^ Lupo, Nicola (September 20, 2020). "Ioannis Kouzeloglou signs with Aris". Sportando. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  8. ^ "Ioannis Kouzeloglou (ex Aris) signs at Pau-Lacq-Orthez". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  9. ^ t, n (2021-12-31). "Deal with Kouzeloglou". AEK BC. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  10. ^ "Kouzeloglou is back at AEK Athens". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  11. ^ Ioannis KOUZELOGLOU (GRE) participated in 2 FIBA / FIBA Zones events.
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