Panagiotis Kalaitzakis

Panos Kalaitzakis
Πάνος Καλαϊτζάκης
Kalaitzakis with Panathinaikos in 2025
No. 5 – Panathinaikos
PositionSmall forward / shooting guard
LeagueGreek Basketball League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1999-01-02) 2 January 1999
Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Listed height2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2021: undrafted
Playing career2016–present
Career history
2016–2018Aris
2018–2019Holargos
2019–2021Nevėžis
2021–2022Lietkabelis
2022–presentPanathinaikos
Career highlights

Panagiotis "Panos" Kalaitzakis (Greek: Παναγιώτης "Πάνος" Καλαϊτζάκης; born 2 January 1999) is a Greek professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He is 2.00 m (6'6 3⁄4") tall[1] and he plays at the small forward and shooting guard positions.[2]

Personal life

Panagiotis Kalaitzakis comes from a family deeply rooted in sports. His twin brother, Georgios Kalaitzakis, is also a professional basketball player. The two have played together at clubs like Nevėžis Kėdainiai and Panathinaikos, making them one of the few twin pairs to play on the same EuroLeague team.[3]

Their younger brother, Alexandros Kalaitzakis, born on March 11, 2003, is a professional basketball player. He currently plays as a forward for ASK Karditsas B.C. in the Greek A1 Basket League.[4][5]

Their sister plays volleyball in the Greek A1 division, and their father was a basketball player in Heraklion, Crete, while their mother was a volleyball player.[6]

Professional career

Aris Thessaloniki (2016–2018)

After playing with the junior youth clubs of Aris Thessaloniki, Kalaitzakis began his professional career in the 2016–17 season, in the Greek Basket League, with the senior men's team of Aris. He made his debut during that season, gradually earning a place in the rotation.[7]

In April 2019, Kalaitzakis declared for the 2019 NBA Draft but later withdrew his name from consideration, making him automatically eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft. He went undrafted in 2021.[8][9]

Holargos (2018–2019)

After being released by Aris on 15 July 2018, he joined the newly promoted to the first-tier Greek League team of Holargos. During the 2018–19 season, he played a key role in helping the team remain competitive in the league and developed his all-around game.[10]

Nevėžis Kėdainiai (2019–2021)

On 28 August 2019, Kalaitzakis signed with Nevėžis Kėdainiai of the Lithuanian Basketball League. During the 2019–2020 season, he played a pivotal role in the team's lineup, averaging 9.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in domestic competition. His performances were instrumental in Nevėžis' efforts to compete in the league. In March 2021, Kalaitzakis signed with Lietkabelis Panevėžys of the Lithuanian Basketball League. During the 2021–2022 campaign, he continued to develop his skills, contributing to the team's efforts in both domestic and international competitions.[11]

Lietkabelis Panevėžys (2021–2022)

On 16 March 2021, Kalaitzakis signed with Lietkabelis Panevėžys of the Lithuanian Basketball League. During the 2021–2022 campaign, he averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in domestic competition, as well as 13 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in the EuroCup. He played a pivotal role in leading Lietkabelis to the Lithuanian League Finals and the EuroCup playoffs.[12]

Panathinaikos (2022–present)

On 2 July 2022, Kalaitzakis signed a three-year (2+1) deal with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. At Panathinaikos, he has been known for his defensive tenacity, ability to guard multiple positions, and clutch contributions in critical moments. On 25 January 2024, he recorded his highest-scoring EuroLeague game, with 17 points against Maccabi Tel Aviv. On 4 December 2024, it was reported that Kalaitzakis had agreed upon a three-year (2+1) contract extension with the Greek powerhouse.[13][14][15]

National team career

Greek junior national team

Kalaitzakis was a member of the junior national teams of Greece. With Greece's junior national teams, he played at the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, and the 2019 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.

Greek senior national team

Kalaitzakis made his debut with the senior Greek national team during the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. In these qualifiers, he played in 7 games, averaging 3.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game, with an efficiency rating of 7.4.

His performances in the qualifiers were noted for his defensive contributions and versatility on the court. In February 2023, Kalaitzakis was tasked with guarding Shane Larkin, a notable assignment that showcased the coaching staff's trust in his defensive abilities.

Kalaitzakis continued to represent Greece in subsequent international competitions, including the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus, Greece. In this tournament, he played in 4 games, averaging 3.5 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, with an efficiency rating of 4.5.

2024 Paris Olympics

Kalaitzakis was part of the Greek national basketball team roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He played in the Olympic basketball tournament, contributing to the team's efforts on the court.

The Greek team reached the quarterfinals but was eliminated by Germany with a score of 76–63, concluding their Olympic campaign. Despite the early exit, Kalaitzakis' inclusion in the Olympic roster marked a significant milestone in his international career.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance index rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

† Denotes seasons in which Kalaitzakis won the EuroLeague
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2022–23 Panathinaikos 25 7 8.3 .488 .455 .625 1.2 .3 .4 .1 2.4 2.3
2023–24† 30 0 5.9 .510 .250 1.000 .9 .2 .2 .0 2.1 2.1
2024–25 32 10 7.3 .425 .190 .722 .8 .4 .5 .0 1.8 1.3
Career 87 17 7.1 .464 .302 .738 0.9 .3 .4 .0 2.1 1.8

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2021–22 Lietkabelis 19 17 27.6 .460 .372 .747 2.8 2.8 1.3 .2 13.0 12.5
Career 19 17 27.6 .460 .372 .747 2.8 2.8 1.3 .2 13.0 12.5

Basketball Champions League

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Aris Thessaloniki 5 0 1.6 .500 — — .4 — — — 0.4
Career 5 0 1.6 .500 — — .4 — — — 0.4

Domestic leagues

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Greece Aris Thessaloniki GBL 2 3.1 .500 — — 1.0 — — — 1.0
2017–18 Greece Aris Thessaloniki GBL 4 4.1 .400 — — .2 — — — 1.0
2018–19 Greece Holargos GBL 19 6.9 .423 .000 .533 1.2 .2 .0 — 1.6
2019–20 Lithuania Nevėžis LKL 24 25.3 .380 .307 .814 3.2 1.6 1.1 .2 9.6
2020–21 Lithuania Nevėžis LKL 22 29.5 .416 .285 .822 4.5 2.0 1.3 .2 13.7
Lithuania Lietkabelis LKL 22 20.0 .449 .333 .821 4.1 1.0 1.1 .1 7.5
2021–22 Lithuania Lietkabelis LKL 40 25.8 .415 .337 .738 4.1 2.8 1.5 .1 10.5
2022–23 Greece Panathinaikos GBL 31 16.4 .377 .177 .710 2.5 1.1 .8 .1 5.7
2023–24 Greece Panathinaikos GBL 34 13.8 .486 .258 .647 1.5 .8 .9 .2 5.6
2024–25 Greece Panathinaikos GBL 29 15.5 .564 .435 .611 1.6 1.0 1.3 .2 7.1


Year Tournament National Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2024 Summer Olympics Greece men's national basketball team 1 0 9 - - .500 .0 .0 .0 .0 0.5
Career 1 0 9 - - .500 .0 .0 .0 .0 0.5

References

  1. ^ ΚΑΛΑΪΤΖΑΚΗΣ Παναγιώτης | ΥΨΟΣ 2,00 (in Greek).
  2. ^ Panagiotis Kalaitzakis GF.
  3. ^ "Brotherly rivalry helped Kalaitzakis twins on path to the EuroLeague". EuroLeague. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Alexandros Kalaitzakis". Sofascore. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Αλέξανδρος Καλαϊτζάκης: «Να δείχνουμε κάθε εβδομάδα το καλύτερο μας πρόσωπο»". Gazzetta. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Europe U18 2017 news: Greek Kalaitzakis twins will have U18 opponents seeing double". FIBA. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis at Eurobasket". Eurobasket. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis Draft Profile". NBA. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  9. ^ "2019 NBA International Withdrawals". NBADraft.net. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis at Holargos". LiveSport. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis EuroLeague Profile". EuroLeague. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis EuroLeague Profile". EuroLeague. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Στον Παναθηναϊκό ΟΠΑΠ ο Καλαϊτζάκης" (in Greek). Panathinaikos BC. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis EuroLeague Profile". EuroLeague. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Panagiotis Kalaitzakis reportedly signs new long-term deal with Panathinaikos". BasketNews. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
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