{{short description|Greek professional basketball player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Dimitris Despos<br>Δημήτρης Δέσπος | image = File:DimitrisDespos1.jpg | image_size = | caption = Despos playing for Iraklis Thessaloniki, in 2016. | number = 17 | position = Center | height_m = 2.10 | weight_kg = 109 | league = | team = AO Trikala B.C. | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|03|30}} | birth_place = Larissa, Greece | nationality = Greek | career_start = 1994 | career_end = | coach_start = | coach_end = | years1 = 1994–1996 | team1 = GS Larissa | years2 = 1996–1999 | team2 = PAOK Thessaloniki | years3 = 1999–2000 | team3 = GS Larissa | years4 = 2000–2001 | team4 = MENT | years5 = 2001–2004 | team5 = Makedonikos | years6 = 2005–2006 | team6 = Maroussi | years7 = 2006–2008 | team7 = MENT | years8 = 2008–2009 | team8 = Peristeri | years9 = 2009–2011 | team9 = Iraklis Thessaloniki | years10 = 2011–2014 | team10 = AEK Athens | years11 = 2014—2017 | team11 = Iraklis Thessaloniki | years12 = 2018–2020 | team12 = Farsala BC | years13 = 2020–2022 | team13 = Aiolos | years14 = 2022–2023 | team14 = Trikala B.C. | years15 = 2024– | team15 = AO Trikala BC | highlights = * Greek Cup winner (1999) *3× Greek 2nd Division champion (2002, 2009, 2014) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}} {{MedalCountry|{{bk|GRE}}}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship}} {{MedalGold| 1993 Turkey | Under-16}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA Under-19 World Cup}} {{MedalGold| 1995 Greece | Under-19}} }}
'''Dimitrios "Dimitris" Despos''' ({{langx|el|Δημήτρης Δέσπος}}, {{IPA|el|ði'mitɾis 'ðespos}}; born March 30, 1976) is a Greek professional basketball player. Despos has spent his entire playing career in the Greek professional leagues. He also represented Greece at the youth levels and won the gold medal in the 1993 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and the 1995 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. At a height of {{convert|2.10|m|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} tall,<ref>[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_BYg5Rb55Jw-G5I3MZ6JB01.season_2006.roundID_4588.teamID_5308.playerID_16791.html Height DIMITRIOS DESPOS 2.10m Position C.]</ref> he plays at the center position.
==Professional career== Despos started playing basketball in the amateur club, ''Ikaroi Trikala'', of his hometown, before moving to GS Larissa in 1994.<ref name="kreta">{{cite web | url=http://www.kretaworldbasket.gr/posts/view/149/2911 | script-title=el:Ο θηριώδης σέντερ Δημήτρης Δέσπος (36 ετών, 2.09μ) έτοιμος να φορέσει την φανέλα του ΟΦΗ | publisher=kretaworldbasket.gr | date=21 August 2012 | accessdate=16 August 2015 | language=Greek | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083030/http://www.kretaworldbasket.gr/posts/view/149/2911 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In the 2007–08 season, while with MENT, Despos lead the Greek 2nd Division in rebounds, with 279 in 30 games.<ref name="kreta" /> In July 2008, he signed with Peristeri.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ethnos.gr/ethnosport/article.asp?catid=8240&subid=2&pubid=1212493 | script-title=el:Περιστέρι: Απέκτησε Δέσπο, Τσαμάτο | publisher=ethnos.gr | date=15 July 2008 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | language=Greek}}</ref> In 2011, Despos signed with AEK.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.trikalavoice.gr/news/2011/10/15/stin-aek-o-despos | script-title=el:Στην ΑΕΚ ο Δέσπος | publisher=Trikalavoice.gr | date=15 October 2011 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | author=Alexiou, Vassilis | language=Greek | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100544/http://www.trikalavoice.gr/news/2011/10/15/stin-aek-o-despos | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He stayed with the team for three years, helping them to gain a league promotion to the Greek top-tier level.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gentikoule.gr/basket/90095-kleinei-ston-hrakli-o-despos | title=Kλείνει στον Ηρακλή ο Δέσπος | publisher=gentikoule.gr | date=29 August 2014 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | language=Greek}}</ref> In September 2014, he signed with Iraklis of the Greek A2 (2nd Division).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://northbasket.gr/%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%AE-%CE%BF-%CE%B4%CE%AD%CF%83%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%82/ | script-title=el:Στον Ηρακλή ο Δέσπος | publisher=northbasket.gr | date=3 September 2014 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | language=Greek}}</ref> In a game against Filippos Veria, Despos exceeded 3,000 career points scored in the Greek 2nd Division.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bluearena.gr/blog/2015/01/12/o-despos-espase-to-konter-ton-3-000-ponton/ | script-title=el:Ο Δέσπος έσπασε το κοντέρ των 3.000 πόντων! | publisher=Bluearena.gr | date=12 January 2015 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | language=Greek | archive-date=28 June 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628081042/http://bluearena.gr/blog/2015/01/12/o-despos-espase-to-konter-ton-3-000-ponton/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
In September 2016, Iraklis announced that Despos would play for the team in the 2016–17 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bluearena.gr/blog/2016/09/16/anakinose-despo-onasoglou-ke-chrisopoulo/ | script-title=el:Ανακοίνωσε Δέσπο, Ονάσογλου και Χρυσόπουλο | publisher=Bluearena.gr | date=16 September 2016 | accessdate=18 September 2016 | language=Greek | archive-date=27 December 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227014833/https://bluearena.gr/blog/2016/09/16/anakinose-despo-onasoglou-ke-chrisopoulo/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
==National team career== Despos represented the Greek Under-16 junior national team at the 1993 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, where Greek the team won the gold medal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Despos/pid//_//players.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520051554/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Despos/pid//_//players.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=20 May 2018 | title=Demetrios Despos profile | publisher=FIBA | accessdate=14 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="greekbasket">{{cite web | url=http://basket.gr/index.php/playerview?playerid=55 | script-title=el:Δέσπος Δημήτρης | publisher=Hellenic Basketball Federation | accessdate=14 August 2015 | language=Greek | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045551/http://basket.gr/index.php/playerview?playerid=55 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was also a member of the Greek Under-19 junior national team that won the gold medal at the 1995 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.<ref name="greekbasket" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sport24.gr/Basket/pagkosmio-efhvwn-1995-16-xronia-meta.1189691.html | script-title=el:Παγκόσμιο Εφήβων 1995: 16 χρόνια μετά | publisher=sport24.gr | date=22 July 2011 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | author=Maragousia, Antonia | language=Greek}}</ref> During the tournament, he appeared in 4 games, averaging 2.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/16791/sid/2895/tid/291/_/1995_World_Championship_for_Junior_Men/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608234637/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/16791/sid/2895/tid/291/_/1995_World_Championship_for_Junior_Men/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 June 2015 | title=Demetrios Despos - 1995 World Championship for junior men | publisher=FIBA | accessdate=14 August 2015}}</ref> Despos represented Greece at the youth levels in 91 games, averaging 4.8 points per game.<ref name="greekbasket" />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/?pcode=CPE EuroCup profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20211227023348/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/rpp//q/Dimitrios%20Despos/pid//_//players.html FIBA.com profile] (archive) *[http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_BYg5Rb55Jw-G5I3MZ6JB01.season_2006.roundID_4588.teamID_5308.playerID_16791.html FIBA Europe profile] *[http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Dimitris-Despos/Greece/GS-Iraklis-Thessaloniki/4880 Eurobasket.com profile] *[http://www.aek.com/basketball/roster/dimitris_despos.htm AEK profile] *[http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Dimitris-Despos-36673/ DraftExpress.com profile] *[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Dimitris-Despos/Summary/119373 RealGM.com profile] *[http://www.insports.eu/el/omades/paiktis/3192/47/778 Insports.eu profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103050/http://www.insports.eu/el/omades/paiktis/3192/47/778 |date=4 March 2016 }} {{in lang|el}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Despos, Dimitris}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:AEK B.C. players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Greek men's basketball players Category:Greek Basket League players Category:Gymnastikos S. Larissas B.C. players Category:Iraklis Thessaloniki B.C. players Category:Makedonikos B.C. players Category:Maroussi B.C. players Category:MENT B.C. players Category:P.A.O.K. BC players Category:Peristeri B.C. players Category:Basketball players from Trikala