Greek basketball star extends stay at CSKA Moscow
As had been widely anticipated, Greek basketball star Theodoris Papaloukas has extended his contract with Russian club CSKA Moscow, the reigning European champion, for a further three years. Papaloukas, who signed his new contract with CSKA officials at an Athens hotel yesterday, noted, following the deal, that CSKA Moscow was his top choice in Europe, hinting at NBA aspirations. The Greek player, who was voted MVP in CSKA Moscow’s Euroleague triumph over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Prague just over a month ago, and a year earlier played a key role in Greece’s European title win in Belgrade, included a clause in his contract that would allow him to transfer to an NBA club should he be made an offer. «I’d noted from the very beginning that CSKA Moscow was my top European choice. Special ties bond me to the people at the club,» Papaloukas told reporters following yesterday’s deal. He had been ousted from Olympiakos’s ranks in 2002 as an inadequate member before being snapped up by CSKA Moscow to eventually climb to Europe’s top.
