ATHENS (Greece) - The scoreboard read 114-109 in favor of Greek club Aris after a thrilling overtime win over Maroussi, but the most unforgettable number from that night was 14. That’s the age of Paris Klontzaris, who became the youngest player ever to appear in a Greek League game.
Subbed in with just 43 seconds left on the clock, Klontzaris didn’t just step onto the court - he made it count. The Maroussi guard grabbed a defensive rebound, drew a foul, and coolly knocked down a free throw. The moment wasn’t just a milestone for him - it was celebrated by both teammates and opponents, who cheered the young debutant with genuine encouragement.
Klontzaris now joins an elite list of basketball prodigies who made their mark before most players have even suited up at the senior level.
Ricky Rubio was 14 years and 11 months old when he made his debut in Spain’s ACB League in 2005, launching a career that would include a FIBA Basketball World Cup gold and MVP honors, two EuroBasket titles, and multiple Olympic medals.
Juste Jocyte, meanwhile, stunned the basketball world by suiting up for the Lithuanian senior national team at just 13, and later made her EuroLeague Women debut with ASVEL at 14 years and 29 days.
There's been a lot of hype around Klontzaris' debut and, deservedly so. It's not everyday a 14-year-old gets to make a professional debut. Will he live up to the hype and have a great career?
Stick around and find out.
FIBA