LYON (France) - Nando de Colo entered the pantheon of basketball greats by becoming the highest scorer in the history of European club competitions last Friday while playing for ASVEL.

In his 14th season in a European club competition, the France international leapfrogged Greek legend Nikos Galis into first place with 4,917 points.

Galis, who is in the FIBA Hall of Fame, held the previous record with 4,904 points. Galis scored his points with Aris (1979 to 1992) and Panathinaikos (1992-94).

Another Greece great, Vasilis Spanoulis, is now third with 4, 872 points, while Serbia's Dejan Bodiroga (4,458) is fourth and Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro is fifth all time (4,321).

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis was in Villeurbanne this Sunday to present Nando De Colo with the scoresheet from his first European club competitions game. "On behalf of FIBA, I want to warmly congratulate Nando De Colo for this extraordinary accomplishment, said Andreas Zagklis.

French League president Alain Béral, Andreas Zagklis, Nando De Colo and French Federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat (Infinity Nine Media)

"This record is the perfect symbol of outstanding longevity and the excellence of a career, one that the entire FIBA family hopes will last for many more years, with his club and with the national team."

De Colo is one of France's all-time greats. Since making his senior team debut for Les Bleus in 2008, De Colo has scored 2,048 points in 185 games. That tally puts him 11th on the all-time scoring list for the national team.

Three times he has reached the podium of the EuroBasket, winning the title in 2013. At EuroBasket 2011, De Colo helped France reach the Final to qualify for the London Olympics and at EuroBasket 2015, France were third. De Colo was among the best players in that tournament, earning a spot in the All-Star Five.

After a terrific performance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, when De Colo helped the French reach the Semi-Finals and then defeat Australia in the Third-Place Game, De Colo had one of finest efforts for France at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

De Colo had 25 points for France in their Tokyo Olympic Semi-Final win over Slovenia

In a heart-stopping Semi-Final against Slovenia, De Colo had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 90-89 French triumph.

Then in the Gold Medal Game against the USA, De Colo helped France push the USA to the very end with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. The Americans prevailed, 87-82.

 FIBA