GRE – Papaloukas clinches new deal with CSKA Moscow
MOSCOW, July 14 (Superleague) – CSKA Moscow confirmed the expected on Friday by announcing Greek national team sensation Theo Papaloukas has signed a three-year extension with the club. Papaloukas, 30, had flirted with the idea of leaving for the NBA but ultimately did not receive any written offers to lure him across the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
MOSCOW, July 14 (Superleague) – CSKA Moscow confirmed the expected on Friday by announcing Greek national team sensation Theo Papaloukas has signed a three-year extension with the club.
Papaloukas, 30, had flirted with the idea of leaving for the NBA but ultimately did not receive any written offers to lure him across the Atlantic Ocean.
The 6ft 7in guard was voted as FIBA Europe’s Player of the Year inn 2006 and this season earned MVP honors in the Euroleague.
“The extension of the contract is a [great] deal not only for CSKA, but for European basketball in general,” CSKA senior vice president Andrei Vatutin said in a statement published on the club’s official website.
“The best player on the continent stays in Europe and does not leave for the NBA as did the previous Euroleague MVP (Anthony Parker).
“This is just another confirmation of the Euroleague's level of progress. For us, the extension of the contract was one of the main task for the off-season and we are happy.”
Papaloukas has become of his country’s legendary basketball players since 2004, when he played very well at point guard in leading the Greeks to the quarter-finals of the Athens Olympics.
The following summer saw him make the all-tournament team after firing Greece to the EuroBasket 2005 gold medal.
The next year he was voted MVP of the Euroleague Final Four once CSKA had dethroned two-time defending champions Maccabi Tel Aviv.
He then returned to national team duty and had 12 assists to go with his eight points in a 101-95 upset of Team USA in the semi-finals.
The Greeks settled for silver after losing to Spain in the final, but Papaloukas again made the all-tournament team.
This year, he fired CSKA to the Superleague and Russian Cup titles, and a runners-up finish to Panathinaikos in the final of the Euroleague.
Panathinaikos had wanted to sign him this summer, but Papaloukas remained loyal to the team that has helped him become arguably the best player on the continent.
“I tried to go to the NBA,” Papaloukas said, “But I did not receive any written offers from the teams I wanted.
“I did not get exactly what I wanted. Five years with CSKA was the perfect experience and I am happy to stay with the team.”
FIBA