Approximately 14,000 fans of basketball and the national team paid tribute to the one-of-a-kind Nikos Galis on the sidelines of Greece’s friendly match against Slovenia, on an evening dedicated exclusively to the «legend» of Greek basketball, as the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) retired his blue-and-white jersey and raised it to the rafters of the OAKA indoor arena.
Shortly after 7:00 p.m., the lights went out, the crowd rose to its feet, and gave a standing ovation to the man who changed the course and history of Greek basketball.
Shortly before taking the court, Nikos Galis ran into the national team coach, Dimitris Itoudis, and jokingly asked him if he would… put him in the friendly against Slovenia, to which the coach of the «blue-and-white» team replied, «…»that would be the greatest blessing of my life.'".
With clips, videos, and photos of his greatest moments with the national team—which he led to the top of Europe in 1987— a big «thank you for everything» displayed on the scoreboards of the OAKA indoor arena, and to the sounds of… “The Final Countdown,” Greek basketball bestowed the honors that the greatest of them all deserved and continues to deserve.
Galis first greeted the players of the Slovenian national team (he shared a warm embrace with Luka Dončić), then the players and staff of the Greek national team, before watching, with tears in his eyes, (amidst a thrilling ovation) a giant No. 4 jersey—the one he wore for the «blue and white»—rise into the sky above the Olympic Stadium, as an eternal symbol of Greek basketball.
After an amazing standing ovation that lasted several minutes from the crowd, who chanted his name in unison, Nikos Galis was also honored by FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis for his contributions to the sport, followed by a similar award from the president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, Vangelis Liolios.
