Wikipedia / PAOK BC
Wikipedia / PAOK BC
PAOK BC (, Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινοπολιτών, Panthessaloníkios Athlitikós Ómilos Konstantinopolitón, "Pan-Thessalonikian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans"), commonly known as PAOK, or as PAOK Thessaloniki in European competitions, is the professional basketball department of the major Greek multi-sports club A.C. PAOK, which was founded in 1926, and is based in Thessaloniki. The club's basketball section was founded in 1928. The club's home arena is the PAOK Sports Arena, which is an indoor arena with a seating capacity of 8,500 people.
Over the years, the PAOK basketball club has established itself with a firm reputation in Greek professional basketball, especially due to its successes in European-wide competitions. In the past, the club has won Greece's top-tier level Greek Basket League twice, in 1959 and 1992. The club has also won the top national Greek Cup competition three times, in 1984, 1995, and 1999.
In Pan-European competitions, PAOK has also won two European Cup titles. They won the now defunct European-wide secondary level competition, the FIBA Saporta Cup, in the 1990–91 season. They also won the now defunct European-wide third level competition, the FIBA Korać Cup, in the 1993–94 season. In addition, PAOK was the FIBA Saporta Cup Finals' runner-up in both the 1991–92 and 1995–96 seasons. On the European-wide top-tier level, PAOK competed in the EuroLeague's concluding championship tournament, the Final Four, at the 1993 Athens EuroLeague Final Four, where they finished in third place.
History
1928–1980
The men's basketball section of the multi-sports club PAOK AC was created in 1928, when Alekos Alexiadis, a young member of the administration council of PAOK AC (founded in 1926), took the initiative to create a men's basketball team. He "gave birth" to the basketball department again, after World War II. After the war, Alekos Alexiadis began to organize a basketball team from the children that played at the only basketball court in Thessaloniki. The first honor for PAOK's basketball section was the win of the 1958–59 Greek League championship. The team was crowned the Champions of Greece, with the following players; Dapontes, Kyriakou, Oikonomou, Paschalis, Stalios, Kokkos, Theoridis, Angelidis, Stergiou, Konstantinidis, and player-coach Irakleios Klagas. The next year, PAOK competed for the first time in a European-wide competition and was eliminated in the first round of the European Champions Cup by the Romanian champions CCA București. Three years later, the Greek League was reconstructed into a Nation-wide League, but PAOK was placed in the Second National Division, where they won an immediate league promotion to the first division the next year. The worst season of the club to date was in 1976–77, when PAOK avoided relegation, with a 66–53 play-out win over Dimokritos.
1981–1990
PAOK met Panathinaikos in its first Greek Cup Final, in 1982. The Athenians managed to scrape through to a two-point victory, despite the game being played in Alexandreio Melathron, which was PAOK's home arena at that time. In the following 1982–83 season, the team finished in second place behind Aris.
The success of both Aris and PAOK fuelled the ongoing rivalry between the clubs, which had long been established in football. In 1984, the two teams reached the Greek Cup Final. PAOK's head coach, Faidon Matthaiou, ordered the players to shave their heads in an attempt to strengthen the team's morale. PAOK won the Greek Cup 74–70, in what became known as the "final of the shaven heads".
The summer of 1984 also marked an important administrative turning point for the club, as Nikos Vezyrtzis took over the leadership of PAOK's basketball department. During his administration, the club strengthened its roster and gradually developed from a domestic contender into one of the leading teams in Greek and European basketball.
The then 22-year-old Bane Prelević, debuted with the club in the 1988–89 season. He became the definitive leader of PAOK, and a fan favorite. He was often compared to the great Nikos Galis, who was at the time the captain of Aris. Prelević was often quoted for his loyalty to the team. He had a number of injuries and medical emergencies because of weak legs, but he would constantly choose to take heavy dosages of painkillers, rather than missing out on important games. During the 1980s decade, PAOK was second in the Greek League only to Aris.
1991–2000
PAOK won the now defunct European second-tier level FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup's (Saporta Cup's) 1990–91 season championship, when PAOK defeated the Spanish ACB League club CAI Zaragoza in Geneva, by a score of 76–72, on March 26, 1991.
In the following 1991–92 season, PAOK once again reached the final of the same competition (then called the FIBA European Cup), but they lost to the Spanish League club Real Madrid Asegurator, by a score of 65–63. The game was heading to overtime, as the two teams were equal at 63 points, when Panagiotis Fasoulas lost the ball to Rickey Brown in the last 2 seconds of the game, and Real Madrid scored an unexpected basket. The same year, PAOK won the Greek League championship, by beating Aris in the league's final four mini stage, and then Olympiacos in the playoff's finals.
In the 1992–93 season, PAOK had a starting five unit of Jon Korfas, Bane Prelević, Cliff Levingston, Ken Barlow and Panagiotis Fasoulas, and was led by head coach Dušan Ivković. In that season, the club competed in Europe's premier club basketball competition, the FIBA European League (now called EuroLeague), which marked the club's first appearance in the top-tier level European league. PAOK reached the 1993 Athens Final Four. PAOK lost in the semifinal game to the then defending Italian League champions Benetton Treviso, which was led by the Croatian star Toni Kukoč, by a score of 79–77. Two days later, in the third-place game, PAOK defeated Spain's Real Madrid Teka, which was led by the Lithuanian star Arvydas Sabonis and American Rickey Brown.
The 1993 Final Four marked the end of Vezyrtzis' first period at the head of PAOK's basketball department. During his tenure, PAOK had established itself among the leading clubs in European basketball, highlighted by the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup and the 1992 Greek championship. Following the 1992–93 season, Vezyrtzis stepped down and handed control of the basketball department to Apostolos Oikonomidis.
In the 1993–94 season, PAOK returned to European success, by winning the European third-tier level FIBA Korać Cup competition, in a two-legged final against the Italian League club Stefanel Trieste. PAOK won both at home and away, by 9 points. The following year, PAOK won the Greek Cup title, in a 19-point victory against Chipita Panionios, by a score of 72–53. In the 1995–96 season, PAOK once again reached the final of the FIBA European Cup (Saporta Cup), but they lost to the Spanish club Taugrés, by a score of 88–81. Three years later in 1999, PAOK again won the Greek Cup title, by defeating AEK Athens, by a score of 71–54.
The new home of PAOK, the PAOK Sports Arena, able to hold 8,500 fans, hosted its first official PAOK game on 17 May 2000, when the club faced Panathinaikos in the second game of the Greek League Finals. The arena's construction had been a long-standing project in which Vezyrtzis played a key role, strongly promoting the creation of a permanent basketball home for PAOK on land donated by the Dedeoglou family. The move marked the end of a long period in which the club had shared the home court of Alexandreio Melathron with Aris.
Bane Prelević returned to PAOK, after having quick spells at Kinder Bologna and AEK Athens, and then quit playing basketball at the end of the 1999–00 season. He later returned to PAOK in the 2001–02 season, as an assistant coach.
During the 1990s decade, PAOK was one of the top teams in the Greek League. They won the Greek League championship in 1992, and also played in the league's finals in 1994, 1998, and 2000. In addition to that, PAOK also made it to the league's semifinals each year, and they finished in 3rd place in the Greek league 1993, 1997, and 1999.
2001–2010
PAOK played in EuroLeague Basketball's inaugural 2000–01 season, where they made it to the Round of 16, and lost to the Slovenian League club Union Olimpija. However, a difficult financial situation led the previous season's Greek League finalists to struggle in the Greek League, where they finished in 8th place in the 2000–01 Greek League season. In the 2001–02 season, PAOK again finished in 8th place in the Greek League. Prelević became the team's head coach for the 2002–03 season, and he led them to a short winning streak during the year. PAOK ended up in 7th place in the Greek League in the 2002–03 season. PAOK also competed in FIBA-organized Pan-European club competitions at that time. They competed in the European third-level 2001–02 FIBA Korać Cup, and in the European third-level 2002–03 FIBA Europe Champions Cup (EuroChallenge).
PAOK finished in 6th place in the 2003–04 Greek League season, with a squad full of talented young players, like Panos Vasilopoulos, Kostas Vasileiadis and Loukas Mavrokefalidis. During the season, PAOK withdrew from FIBA-run competitions, and in the 2004–05 season, the team made its debut in the European-wide secondary level ULEB Cup (EuroCup) competition. PAOK made it to the ULEB Cup's quarterfinals that season, where they lost to the Lithuanian League club Lietuvos Rytas. In the Greek League, PAOK finished in 6th place. In the 2005–06 season, PAOK finished in 6th place in the Greek League.
During a 2006–07 Greek League season game, PAOK and Aris put on a spectacular show, that PAOK ended up winning, after two overtime periods. The team finished that season's Greek League in 6th place, after losing to Olympiacos in the league's playoffs. PAOK also played in the ULEB Cup (EuroCup) in the 2006–07 season. They made it to the league's Top 16 Round that season, where they lost to the Italian League club Montepaschi Siena.
The 2007–08 Greek League season was one of the worst in PAOK's history, with PAOK finishing in a disastrous 12th place in the league. However, during that Greek League season, PAOK picked up a great victory against Olympiacos. In that same 2007–08 season, PAOK also had a disappointing finish in the now defunct European-wide third- level competition, the FIBA EuroCup (EuroChallenge). Because of that, PAOK's management decided for the club to take a break from Pan-European leagues, and to instead focus mainly on the Greek League. So the club did not compete in any European-wide leagues in the following 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons.
PAOK finished in 7th place in the 2008–09 Greek League season. Prior to the start of the 2009–10 season, PAOK hired Soulis Markopoulos to be the team's new head coach. PAOK finished in 5th place in the 2009–10 Greek League season.
2010–2020
PAOK finished 3rd place in the Greek League in the 2010–11 season. That success allowed PAOK to play in the EuroLeague's qualifying tournament in the 2011–12 season. However, in the 2011–12 season, PAOK finished in a disappointing 8th place in the Greek League, and thus missed out on European-wide competition for the 2012–13 season. In the 2012–13 season, PAOK finished in 5th place in the Greek League, and was then able to return to European competition for the following season. In the next season, they competed in the 2nd-tier level EuroCup. In the Greek League, PAOK finished in 3rd place, in both the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons. In the 2015–16 season, PAOK finished in 5th place in the Greek League. After the 2015–17 FIBA–Euroleague Basketball controversy, PAOK decided to return to FIBA organized competitions, and chose to play in the FIBA Champions League, rather than in the EuroCup. After finishing in 5th place in the Greek League in the 2016–17 season, the club replaced head coach Soulis Markopoulos with Ilias Papatheodorou. In the 2017–18 season, PAOK finished in 3rd place in the Greek League. The 2019–20 season was the worst on PAOK history because PAOK finished in the last place of Greek basketball league; but due to COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn't relegated.
2020–2025
In July 2020, businessman Thanasis Chatzopoulos joined the court-appointed administration of PAOK B.C., together with Vasilios Trilyrakis, at a time when the club was facing serious financial difficulties. Aristeidis Karakousis initially remained president and chief executive officer. At the new administration's first press conference in September 2020, Chatzopoulos identified the club's immediate survival and the gradual repayment of its accumulated debts as the main priorities.
On 1 July 2021, Chatzopoulos formally became president and chief executive officer of PAOK B.C. Financial restructuring remained the defining priority of his administration, with a significant part of the club's available income being directed towards old obligations and debt settlements rather than the playing budget.
By July 2024, Chatzopoulos reported that the club's total liabilities had fallen to €4.07 million, a figure which included obligations to Ivan Savvidis that had been declared non-demandable. Excluding those obligations, he estimated the remaining debt at approximately €2.12 million, while the amount owed to the Greek state had been reduced to €825,000. In February 2025, the club reported that its financial years had returned to profitability and that its liabilities had been significantly reduced. By May 2025, Chatzopoulos stated that PAOK was fully up to date with its obligations for the season, while outstanding liabilities to the state had fallen below €500,000.
In April 2024, PAOK attracted international attention by signing former NBA player Kevin Porter Jr. for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.
The club's competitive progress culminated during the 2024–25 FIBA Europe Cup, when PAOK reached its first European final since 1996. Coached by Massimo Cancellieri, the team advanced through the knockout rounds before finishing as runners-up to Bilbao Basket.
Fan support also increased during the final years of the administration. In July 2025, the club announced the sale of 4,492 season tickets for the 2025–26 campaign, establishing a new club record at the time.
In September 2025, representatives of businessman Aristotelis Mistakidis formally expressed interest in acquiring a controlling stake in PAOK B.C. Chatzopoulos' administration entered negotiations and provided the financial information required for due diligence. By 22 October, the financial, tax and legal reviews had been completed and the two sides had reached an agreement in principle for the change of ownership.
The ownership transfer was completed on 27 November 2025, bringing Chatzopoulos' five-and-a-half-year period in the club's administration to an end. In his farewell press conference, he cited the reduction of the club's debts, the return of supporters to the arena, the 2025 European final and the arrival of a financially strong investor among the main outcomes of his tenure.
2025–present
On 27 November 2025, businessman Aristotelis Mistakidis, through Alpha Sports Group Single Member S.A., acquired a controlling 60.81% stake in PAOK B.C., marking a change in the club's ownership.
Several figures with long-standing links to PAOK basketball returned to senior positions during the first months of the new ownership. On 3 December, former long-time club president Nikos Vezyrtzis was appointed president of a temporary court-appointed administration. Two days later, former PAOK player Nikos Boudouris returned to the club as General Manager, with Vangelis Margaritis appointed Assistant General Manager and Michalis Giannakidis continuing as Team Manager.
On 9 December, the club announced plans for a €12 million share-capital increase to be fully covered by Mistakidis' Alpha Sports Group. On 17 December, a new elected board was formed, with Vezyrtzis as president, former PAOK president Vasilios Oikonomidis as vice-president and Ioannis Petmezas as chief executive officer.
The new ownership strengthened the roster during the 2025–26 season, with the additions including former NBA guard Patrick Beverley, who joined the club in December 2025.
In March 2026, PAOK signed Andrea Trinchieri to a three-year contract beginning with the 2026–27 season. During the remainder of the 2025–26 season, he served in an advisory role and participated in the strategic planning and organisation of the basketball department. PAOK subsequently reached the 2025–26 FIBA Europe Cup Final, becoming a finalist for the second consecutive season, but again finished as runners-up to Bilbao Basket.
On 11 May 2026, PAOK announced the end of its cooperation with Vezyrtzis, Oikonomidis and Boudouris. The board was subsequently reorganised, with Petmezas assuming the combined roles of president and chief executive officer.
In May 2026, PAOK announced the development of a new privately operated basketball training centre on an 8,000-square-metre site in Pylaia, Thessaloniki. Construction work began during 2026, with the completion of the complex targeted for autumn 2026.
For the 2026–27 season, PAOK moved from FIBA-organised club competitions to the BKT EuroCup, returning to a competition organised by Euroleague Basketball after a ten-year absence. The club signed a three-year participation agreement with an option for a further two years, while maintaining its longer-term objective of entering the EuroLeague.
During the summer of 2026, the club carried out an extensive reconstruction of its roster under Trinchieri. Among its signings were EuroLeague all-time assists leader Nick Calathes and former NBA and EuroLeague forward Cedi Osman.
The previous season-ticket record was surpassed in July 2026, when PAOK sold out all 6,000 season tickets made available for the 2026–27 campaign. The total included an additional allocation of 1,000 tickets released after the initial 5,000 had been exhausted.
On 3 August 2026, PAOK announced a long-term strategic partnership with the DEKA basketball academy, as part of the club's wider plan to strengthen its youth development structure. Under the agreement, DEKA's competitive youth teams and men's team were integrated into PAOK's basketball organisation, with the men's team serving as the club's development team and providing a pathway towards the senior team. DEKA continued to operate its academy programmes while retaining its development philosophy and expertise.
Facilities
Home courts
PAOK played its home games for many years at the 5,183 seat Alexandreio Melathron (Nick Galis Hall). In 2000, the club moved to the 8,500 seat PAOK Sports Arena.
New training centre
In May 2026, PAOK announced the development of a private basketball training centre on an 8,000-square-metre site in Pylaia, Thessaloniki. The project was scheduled for completion in autumn 2026.
The facilities are planned to include:
Two fully equipped indoor basketball courts
Individual and team training areas
A strength and rehabilitation gym
Locker rooms for athletes and coaching staff
A game analysis and educational activities room
Medical and physiotherapy facilities
Outdoor green areas and parking spaces
Roster
Depth chart
Notes: Under GBL regulations, each team may register up to eight foreign players, while a maximum of six foreign players may participate in each game. Players holding Greek citizenship are counted as Greek players for domestic roster purposes, irrespective of whether they also hold another nationality or represent another national team.
Retired numbers
Honours
Domestic competitions
Winners (2): 1958–59, 1991–92
Runners-up (9): 1959–60, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1999–00
Winners (3): 1983–84, 1994–95, 1998–99
Runners-up (5): 1981–82, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 2018–19
European competitions
3rd place (1): 1992–93
Final Four (1): 1993
FIBA Saporta Cup (defunct)
Winners (1): 1990–91
Semifinalists (1): 1989–90
FIBA Korać Cup (defunct)
Winners (1): 1993–94
Friendly competitions
Winners (6): 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019 (shared), 2023
Trophee Legrand Limoges : 1991
Individual honours
Greek Basketball League Hall of Fame
50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors
Peja Stojaković (1997–98)
Panagiotis Fasoulas (1991–92)
Rawle Marshall (2010–11)
D. J. Cooper (2013–14)
Breein Tyree (2025–26)
Greek League Most Improved Player
Loukas Mavrokefalidis (2005–06)
Georgios Bogris (2013–14)
Greek League Best Young Player
Antonis Koniaris (2016–17, 2017–18)
Greek League Most Spectacular Player
Nate Renfro (2022–23)
Loukas Mavrokefalidis (2005–06)
Ben Moore (2025–26)
Rawle Marshall (2010–11)
Panagiotis Fasoulas (1986–87)
Keith Clanton (2016–17)
Ben Moore (2025–26)
Greek League Blocks Leader
Panagiotis Fasoulas (1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92)
Keith Clanton (2016–17)
Nate Renfro (2022–23)
Jon Korfas (1989–90)
Frankie King (1998–99)
Damir Mulaomerović (2003–04, 2004–05)
D. J. Cooper (2013–14)
Greek League Coach of the Year
Soulis Markopoulos (2013–14)
Massimo Cancellieri (2024–25)
Bane Prelević (1994–95)
Walter Berry (1998–99)
European record
International record
The road to the European Cup victories
Season-by-season
Notable players
Greece
USA
Europe
South America
Africa
Oceania
Club captains
P.A.O.K. B.C. team captains, since the 1979–80 season:
Head coaches
This is a list of P.A.O.K. B.C. head coaches since the 1957–58 season:
Presidential history
Since 1928, the president of A.C. PAOK was responsible for the management of the basketball team. In 1992, the basketball department became professional, with its own president.
Coaching and supporting staff
Management
Alpha Sports Group Single Member S.A., owned by Aristotelis Mistakidis (60.81%)
On 17 December 2025, businessman Aristotelis Mistakidis, through Alpha Sports Group Single Member S.A., acquired a controlling 60.81% stake in PAOK B.C. The company purchased shares previously held by PAOK B.C. president Thanasis Hatzopoulos (31.61%), Vangelis Galatsopoulos (23.77%) and Ilias Violidis (5.43%). Mistakidis is a prominent metals trader, has been a major shareholder of Piraeus Bank since 2021, and is the controlling shareholder of Aegean Baltic Bank.
Management members
Last updated: 7 July 2026
Sponsorships
Last updated: 21 August 2026
In June 2026, PAOK introduced the PAOK BC Strategic Partnership Platform, a tiered commercial partnership framework focused on partner visibility, fan engagement, brand activations and hospitality.
Main Partners: Stoiximan, KRAFT Paints, More.com
Official Partner: FlexCar
Official Sportswear Supplier: Macron
See also
References
Sources
External links
PAOK Thessaloniki History – PAOK Thessaloniki History Provided On Behalf Of Melbourne Club PAOK
PAOKmania – PAOK Thessaloniki supporters downloads, radio and news
Press
Media