Pano Pavlidis (203-PF-2000, college: Stonehill) is a 24 year old 203 cm forward from Bayside, New York that has Greek roots and Cyprus roots is playing his rookie season and first with Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 6,7ppg and 2,9rpg. He began his basketball career at Cardozo high school and then played at Molloy College (NCAA2) from 2018-2021. He then played a season with the University of Hartford (NCAA) averaging 8.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 64.9%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 57.4% and played a season with Stonehill College (NCAA) avergaing 6.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 23.8%, FT: 56.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig.

Thanks Pano for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your first season with Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) and second in Cyprus. What kind of experience has it been playing for this organization?

Playing for Keravnos has been a great experience for me. It has always been a huge dream of mine to play basketball professionally and being able to play in my home country with a great organization filled with amazing people makes it a dream come true. I give a lot of thanks to my agent, Nick Vangelis of GBN agency, because he was able to connect me with such a great organization. From the presidents, to coaches, my teammates and the fans, everyone has been so encouraging and accepting of me that I look forward to anything we do as a team.

You grew up in New York and have Greek and Cyprus roots. What has it been like living overseas and playing basketball in Cyprus? Has it been a tough adjustment?

I was born and raised in Queens, New York with only my parents and brother. Despite being so far from our countries and families, my parents made sure to raise me as a proud Greek-Cypriot. I often visited my family in Northern Epirus, Athens and Paphos every summer. Because of this, the adjustment overseas has been effortless for me especially with the help of Keravnos and the way they have helped me settle into my new home. I am also very fortunate to have my aunt, uncle and cousins in Nicosia that I visit daily which is a luxury I did not have growing up.

Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) has won 6 titles in the last 2 seasons. How big is the ambition and desire to win titles within the whole organization?

The ambition and desire to win within the club is a big motivator for everyone associated with the organization. Everyone has such high goals for themselves and for the organization that we all come into work everyday and push each other to continue to get better to reach our common goal for cups and championships. This was a major factor why I wanted to play for Keravnos because of their history of success and the people that work hard everyday to continue the winning tradition.

You’re playing for Greek legend Michalis Kakiouzis. How much of his winning genes trickles down on the team? What have you appreciated the most about his coaching philosophy?

Coach Kakiouzis was another factor why I wanted to play for Keravnos. He has an elite resume as a player and since we play the same position I wanted to be coached by him to learn as much as I can. His experiences as a player make him a great coach because of the numerous obstacles he was able to overcome throughout his playing career and I personally try to soak up as much knowledge as I can. What I appreciate the most of his coaching philosophy is he is a players coach and he connects to us as athletes because he was once in our shoes and understands our perspective firsthand.

The club has real experience in the front court with Crockett and Taylor. What really stands out most with their games?

Crockett and Taylor are both phenomenal players that I speak to often to learn from their experience throughout their professional careers. The biggest thing that stands out the most to me besides their obvious talent on the court is their professionalism with the way they handle adversity throughout the season and treat every workout, practice, off-day, etc. They are both very disciplined on the court and it’s because of their work ethic in their craft which explains why they are both 10+ year professionals and still getting better.

What have been the most important things that you have been able to soak up from their games?

The most important things I have been able to take from both Crockett’s and Taylor’s game as forwards who do not control the ball is how effective and efficient they are off of the ball on the offensive end. Both players are great individual defenders and huge pieces for our defense but on the offensive side of the ball, they are very productive throughout our system. They both have made huge plays for our team by playing the right way and letting the game come to them naturally. Not only are they unselfish players but they are high IQ players that make good reads on both ends.

You’re averaging 9 minutes in the OPAP and Fiba Europe Cup. What exactly is your role on the team?

I think my role is still being defined by my coaching staff and myself. The past two months have been a huge adjustment for me to adapt to European basketball while learning a new system from multiple positions. I feel like I have made a lot of progress in this time and I am prepared to expand my role that will best help the team reach our goal. As long as I keep working hard and staying disciplined, I think the sky’s the limit with the confidence I have in myself and the faith my organization has in me as a person and player.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 203cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the bill?

This is an interesting question because I love watching and learning from so many different players. I personally try to play as a smaller version of Kevin Garnett, he is one player I idolize because of his high motor and intensity during each possession on both ends. I think I can be a solid stretch four that can run the court, shoot, dribble and bring energy on defense especially by being vocal.

You never averaged 10 ppg or more in college, but you always rebounded the ball well. Describe what your biggest strengths are on the court?

I think in the beginning of my career my biggest strength was my motor because I started playing basketball later than most players who have made it professionally. Before I was able to develop my skills and expand my game, I always focused on bringing energy, going after rebounds on both ends, and anchoring the defenses on any team I played on by studying the scouting report and being vocal. Now that I have had years of hard work and continue to develop my craft, I have maintained my high motor but I think my biggest strength now is my versatility as a jack of all trades. I workout daily and focus on being effective from multiple spots on the court on both ends so I can always help my team despite the situation.

You take the three pointer, but aren’t a high volume shooter. Is the three ball a part of your game that you feel like you could use more as a weapon overseas?

The three ball is something I have worked very hard these past couple of years to develop with my trainer, Kevin Moriarty of KM-BBall, specifically for overseas. We have put countless hours in the gym together to improve my shooting in multiple situations to allow me to take a huge jump going into my rookie year. On a professional team with such talented and high IQ players, being a forward that can stretch the floor helps make the game a lot easier and I have taken extensive time focusing on being a consistent three point shooter to open up the court. I have always been a good shooter that other teams had to respect but it is a goal of mine to become a three point threat to allow me to open up other aspects of my game.

You showed at Molloy and Hartford that you could be a solid shot blocker. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I view myself as a solid defender that can guard multiple positions and I enjoy accepting the challenge of being assigned high level players. I think I have a lot more room to grow as a defender because I have mainly guarded 3s,4s and 5s but want to be able to switch onto guards on the perimeter consistently. Being a player that can switch onto anyone on the court has been an asset for any team I have played on and want to continue that on the professional level.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

The main thing I am focusing on to continue to improve in my game is transitioning into a consistent small forward. My career thus far has been mainly playing the 4 or the 5 and I still view myself as a good power forward but I have always wanted to showcase my game on the perimeter. Fortunately enough, with Keravnos I will finally have that opportunity and my coaches help me everyday get better at being a small forward. I am mainly working on becoming a consistent three point shooter, developing my dribbling and understanding angles with proper spacing from a small forward’s perspective.

How vital was it for your game playing at 3 colleges in the States? What kind of a player were you in 2018 and what kind of a player in 2024 when you came overseas?

I personally believe everything happens for a reason and it is all a part of God’s timing which is why me playing for three different schools was very beneficial for me as a player. Starting off at Molloy in 2018, my coaching staff took a chance on a young skinny kid and I learned so much from them and my teammates. They taught me how to become a better player and man for the four years I spent there. After graduating from Molloy, I took a risk by putting my name into the transfer portal and that’s when I was contacted by Hartford. Going to Hartford was honestly a pivotal point in my career because playing for a division one program with great resources allowed me to take my hard working mentality and optimize it to the best of my ability. I quickly gained weight with the help of their excellent strength coaches, learned so much from the amazing coaching staff and was given a great opportunity to prove myself on the division one level. Unfortunately, because of institutional changes I was not able to finish my career at Hartford and needed to transfer again which is when Coach Kraus and Stonehill became another pivotal point in my career. At Stonehill I was able to graduate with my masters and continue my development as a player. My coaching staff at Stonehill was filled with hardworking and encouraging coaches that helped me mature as a player throughout the season. I look back a lot on all of my experiences between my three schools that I am proud to have attended. Those experiences and the people I met along the way still help me to this day as a professional basketball player.

You played at Molloy College (NCAA2) from 2018-2022. You made a big jump in your game in your second season. What was it like playing for Charles Marquardt? How did you help your game most in your second season?

– Throughout my college career, I spent the most time with Coach Marquardt and I learned so much from him on and off the court. In my first year, I was a raw prospect and we had a phenomenal team that won a championship which is why I did not play much but Coach Marquardt always saw my potential and work ethic. From this championship team, I learned what it took to win and the proper habits a player and team needs to have and build throughout a season. For my entire second year, I was given the opportunity and helped throughout the year by the entire coaching staff to continue to develop my game which allowed me to make this big jump.

You scored 17 points against District of Col winning 102-101. How thrilling do you have that game in your memories?

– If I remember correctly, I think I started the first half with all of my 17 points and was perfect from the field. This was one of my first games where I felt that I started to break out of my shell but if my memory serves right, the most thrilling part about this game was my teammate Nick Corbett going coast to coast and making a game winning lay up.

You then played at the University of Hartford (NCAA) averaging 8.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 64.9%, 3PT: 24.2%, FT: 57.4%. You needed no adjustment time coming from division 2 ball. How did your game mature overall in this season?

– My personal success at Hartford was largely because of the amazing coaching staff and strength coaches that spent hours with me to help me prepare and develop as a player on the court and in the weight room. I still speak with my coaches from Hartford regularly because of the connection we built but they still help me to this day by offering advice to continue my development. They taught me how to play the game at a high level by making proper reads on the court and showed me how to properly lift while dieting throughout a long season and in the summer.

You then played 1 more season at Stonehill College (NCAA) averaging 6.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 23.8%, FT: 56.3%. How valuable was this year for you?

– Stonehill was a great place for me to finish my college career. Coach Kraus was an amazing coach and even better mentor that taught me how to carry myself as a professional that is helping me right now as a rookie. He also allowed me the opportunity to graduate with a masters that I will use when my basketball career ends which I cannot thank him enough for because he has helped me set up my life on a great path.

You played against NCAA powerhouse Kentucky losing 101-67, but you held your own in 14 minutes with 6/4/2/1/1 stats. Did that game make you feel like you belonged?

I personally always felt that I belonged on a basketball court no matter who I am facing. As long as I prepare by working out as hard as I can and studying film I think anything is possible and each big game is an opportunity to seize. Playing against Kentucky during Coach Calipari’s last season there was a moment I will never forget. My only regret is I wish I did not get hurt to the point I needed stitches and only had a chance to play 14 minutes during that game.

The team had no answer for Reed Shepherd who scored 25 points off the bench. Did you have that feeling then that he had NBA material?

Reed Shepherd is a great player and you could tell he was NBA material during his one year at Kentucky. The biggest thing I saw in his game is how poised and efficient he was at such a young age which is why I am not surprised about him being a first round pick.

How did head coach Chris Kraus help you give that last little push towards becoming a professional player?

Coach Kraus taught me how to carry myself a professional by the way I train on the court and coordinate myself off of the court. He also allowed for my last season in college to be filled with high level games that helped me build my confidence against elite players to give me a push going into my rookie year.

Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Thatcher Stone?

Thatcher is a great player and we have a lot of similarities in our games as big wings but with all due respect, I take myself in one on one against anybody. Especially in my college career, I would often play king of the court against teammates after practice and be the last one standing.

Who is the best player that you ever battled on the court that reached the NBA?

I have been fortunate enough to play against and workout with many professional players that have made the NBA and seen how incredible they are with their games. The only time I was honestly surprised by a player’s ability was this past year when I played against UConn. I had to match up against Donovan Clingan and it was the first time I played against anyone that tall that had a great touch and could run the court well. It was an eye opening experience because it showed me what an NBA center is built like.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Now this is a tough question because I have had many great teammates throughout my career who were great players and people. I think being a great teammate has a lot to do with the obvious which is personal accomplishment but also team success and character. Going off of these metrics, I would have to say the best teammates I have had the pleasure of sharing the court with are Marcus Hammond in high school who played at Niagara University, then Notre Dame and is currently a professional in Europe. Early in my Molloy career I was able to play with Nick Corbett who was a 2000 point scorer in college and was MVP of our championship game. Late in my Molloy career I was able to play with Steve Torre who was a 1000 point scorer. Another teammate that I have had briefly at Molloy and still workout together in summer is James Montgomery who is a 1000 point scorer in college and is currently professional in South America. Last but not least, my best and favorite teammate of all time is my best friend Lewis who taught me the game of basketball and instilled a hard working attitude that I still use to this day. Any and every accomplishment I achieve I credit to Lewis and can’t thank him enough for being the best teammate ever. All five of these teammates I still speak to regularly and have become my brothers for life.

Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore?

My NBA Mount Rushmore is different from who I consider the best players of all time. I think the best players are Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in that order. But my personal Mount Rushmore is Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley. These are four players that I personally love watching play the game of basketball and have watched hours of film to learn specific moves from. I think each of these players are complete players on both sides of the ball and are versatile enough to do anything on the court.

Who is your GOAT?

My GOAT is Michael Jordan. I know I grew up after his playing career but Michael Jordan as a player and when looking at his career compared to others is untouchable to me. From the way he dominated the 90s and the influence he had on the basketball culture throughout the world, he is the greatest to pick up a basketball in my opinion.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

I love Eddie Murphy as an actor and comedian and I think Coming to America is an amazing film. If I am being honest, I have not seen the sequel and cannot offer my opinion. Throughout the last few years I have noticed that a lot of sequels of all time classics have started to be released and a lot of them have great nostalgia. As someone who loves movies, I want to see some new ideas hit the cinema and become classics instead of repeating the past.

Thanks Pano for the chat.