Legendary Greek basketball coach Soulis Markopoulos dies at 77

Legendary Greek basketball coach Soulis Markopoulos passed away on September 25, 2026, at the age of 77, leaving behind a profound legacy in the sport he served for over four decades. A former player for Olympos 40 Ekklision and Dimokritos, Markopoulos transitioned into a highly successful coaching career that included stints at major clubs such as PAOK, Aris, AEK, Iraklis, and Marousi. His final coaching tenure ended when he resigned from Aris in December 2019.

Throughout his distinguished career, Markopoulos set several milestones, including over 700 games on the bench and 341 victories in the Greek First Division, placing him third all-time behind Giannis Ioannidis and Zeljko Obradovic. His most notable achievement was leading PAOK to the Korac Cup title in 1994. He was twice named the top coach of the A1 league, specifically in 2008 and 2014. Greek basketball legend Nikos Galis paid tribute to him as a kind man and a true worker of the sport.

Following the news of his death, sports authorities have announced that a minute of silence will be observed across all upcoming national basketball championships to honor his memory.