Sofoklis Schortsanitis

infobox Euroleague Player


caption = Schortsanitis in the middle.
name = Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Σοφοκλής Σχορτσανίτης
nickname = Baby Shaq, Big Sofo, Incredible Hulk
league = Greek League
Euroleague
position = Center
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 9.5
weight_lbs = 342
team = Olympiacos
jersey =| number = 15
nationality = flagicon|Greece Greek
birth_date = birth date and age|1985|6|22
birth_place = Tiko, Cameroon [http://www.bigsofo.gr/site/index.php?&file=com_texts&catid=2]
college =
draft = | draft = 2^nd round, 34^th overall
draft_year = 2003
draft_team = Los Angeles Clippers
career_start = 2000
career_end =
former_teams = Iraklis Thessaloníki (2000–2003)
Pallacanestro Cantù (2003–2004)
Aris Thessaloníki (2004–2005)

awards = Greek League All Star Game MVP 2006

Sofoklis Schortsanitis or Sophocles Schortsanitis (in Greek: Σοφοκλής Σχορτσανίτης) (born June 22, 1985 in Tiko, Cameroon, from a Greek father and a Cameroonian mother) is a Greek professional basketball player who currently plays for Olympiacos in the Greek League and also in the Euroleague. A 6 ft 9 ½ in (2.07 m) 342 lbs. (155 kg) center, Schortsantis was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2nd round (34th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft.

Club career

Schortsantis has been playing at a professional level in the Greek A1 League since he was a teenager, beginning with the club Iraklis, where he averaged 6.4 minutes and 2.6 points per game. He then went to Italy to play in the Italian League with Pallacanestro Cantù. He then returned back to Greece to play with Aris.

After his return to Greece he made a great effort to once again become the player with "unlimited potential" that had NBA scouts interested in his dramatic increase in ability that was closely linked to Olympiacos's attempt to regain its past glory days. For the A1 Ethniki 2005-06 season, George Garbolas chose him to be Olympiacos's new power forward. The press criticized the signing, stating that Schortsanitis was too heavy, but Garbolas proved everyone wrong, as he encouraged Big Sofo to lose weight. The center became a vital member of the team, and his performances impressed Panagiotis Giannakis who selected Schortsanitis to play for the Greek National Team.

Greek National Team

After some friendly matches and qualifiers, his first appearance at a major competition was at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, where Greece won the silver medal and defeated Team USA 101-95. Most notably, Sofo managed to score several impressive dunks against China's National Basketball Team star Yao Ming and the Mike Krzyzewski-coached Team USA.

Awards and Accomplishments

Pro career

*Won the Italian Supercup (2003)
*3-time Greek League All Star (2005, 2006, 2007)
*Greek League All Star Game MVP (2006)

Greek National Team

*FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship All-First Team Selection (2001)
*Won the bronze medal at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship (2002)
*Won the bronze medal at the FIBA Under-18 World Championship (2001)
*Won the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship with Greece

Notes and References

External links

* [http://www.bigsofo.gr Big Sofo's Official Website (Greek/English)]
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=oly&pcode=JXX Euroleague.net player profile]
* [http://www.nba.com/draft2003/profiles/SchortsanitisSofoklis.html NBA.com NBA draft player profile]
* [http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/sofoklisschortsanitis.html NBADraft.net player profile]
* [http://www.interbasket.net/greek/Prospects/prospects.htm Interbasket.net Greek prospects]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/craig/draft/2003_draft/Players/schortsanitispf.shtml Craig NBA Draft info]
* [http://www.interbasket.net/players/sofo.htm Interbasket.net player profile]
* [http://clippers.topbuzz.com/modules/gallery/sofoklis-schortsanitis Sofoklis Schortsanitis Pictures]
* [http://www.sport.gr/basket/euro2003/021123/gre.mpg Big Sofo monster dunk]