The Chambers Franklyn City of Joondalup Wolves are excited to announce the signing dual Greek, Australian citizen; 7’2 big man Ioannis Dimakopoulos for the 2023 NBL1 West season.

Ioannis is an imposing force who brings a plethora of experience to the Wolfpack, playing and training with the likes of the Thanasis Antetokounmpo during his time with the Greek National Basketball Team. Ioannis attended Division 1 NCAA college UC Irvine, where in his senior year he put up 10.9 points per contest, being acknowledged as one of the top big men in his conference.

After finishing college in 2017, Ioannis began his professional career playing across the top leagues in Europe, most notably the Netherlands where he showcased his offensive versatility, scoring averages of 11.3 points on 52.3% shooting whilst also pulling in 7.5 rebounds per game.

Ioannis made his Australian debut last season playing for the Eastern Mavericks in the NBL1 Central league, averaging 19 points a game on league leading 60% shooting, including 42% from 3-point range. On the boards Ioannis was again dominant; using his size and strength to lead the league, pulling down 14.5 rebounds a game. Ioannis is not only an efficient scorer, but also a terrific passer who can quickly make the right reads with his high basketball IQ, finding open teammates consistently, averaging 5 assists a game in 2022.

With his extensive playing experience at the highest levels, Ioannis is sure to make a significant impact during the 2023 NBL1 West season with ‘The Pack’ We look forward to seeing him dominate on both ends of the floor and help elevate the team!

This is what Ioannis had to say about his signing:

“I am excited to sign with the Wolves for many reasons. I wanted to be on a team that has a chance for a championship. I have heard a lot of good things about the Wolves regarding professionalism and their ability to stay consistently competitive in the NBL1 West. 

Furthermore, people I spoke to that know Coach Morrell from his time in Adelaide said that he is someone who can help me develop and win. From my conversations with coach Morrell during the recruitment process, I believe that we can build a championship level team. I am looking forward to showcasing my abilities and using my passing ability to make my teammates and the fans happy.” 

NBL1 Head Coach David Morrell had this to say about the signing:

“Ioannis is a very exciting player for us to add. He is currently playing in Spain, and he has played in numerous places that are very high-level leagues, guarding people like Marc Gasol and other big-time players. This has led him to be a very smart player that can find a way to compete wherever he finds himself and whoever he finds himself matched up against. At 7-foot-2 / 218.5cm, his huge physical stature is the first thing you’ll notice, and his 15 rebounds per game last year relates to that size. But he is also a high-IQ player that loves setting teammates up, shown by the 5 assists per game as well. 

In my conversations with Ioannis, what stood out was the fact that he put up big numbers last year (20 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists), but he was unwaveringly committed to proving that he can do all the little things defensively and as a playmaker that contributes in big ways to a good team. Even if it means sacrificing some numbers. He wants to win and is willing to do whatever it takes to help us with that. Adding a guy like this is a huge lift to us as we ramp up to the start of the season. We are very excited to welcome Ioannis to the Wolfpack family.”

Ioannis joins CJ Turnage, Jonathan Wade, Bryan Michaels, Gabe Chadinha, Brody England, Jordan Wellsteed, Ben Geel, Archie Hall, Jermaine Malie, Eddie Maslic and Luca O’Brien for the 2023 NBL1 West season. 

You too can watch the team live this season by securing your very own Wolfpack season membership! Visit bit.ly/Wolves2023 to learn more.