View source for Vassilis Symtsak

{{Short description|Greek basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name           = Vassilis Symtsak<br/>Βασίλης Σίμτσακ
| image          =
| image_size     =
| caption        =
| position       = [[Coach (basketball)|Assistant coach]]
| height_ft      = 6 
| height_in      = 9.5
| weight_lbs     = 260
| league         = [[Greek Basket League|GBL]]<br>[[EuroLeague]]
| team           = Panathinaikos
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1981|3|3|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Athens]], Greece
| career_start   = 2003
| career_end     = 2018
| career_number  = 14, 17
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| coach_start     = 2018
| coach_end      = 
| years1         = 2000–2006
| team1          = [[A.C. Doukas Basketball|A.C. Doukas]]
| years2         = 2006–2007
| team2          = [[Sporting B.C.|Sporting]]
| years3         = 2007–2008
| team3          = [[AEK B.C.|AEK Athens]]
| years4         = 2008–2009
| team4          = [[P.A.O.K. BC|PAOK Thessaloniki]]
| years5         = 2009–2010
| team5          = [[Trikala 2000 BC|Trikala]]
| years6         = 2010–2012
| team6          = [[Kavala B.C.|Kavala]]
| years7         = 2012–2013
| team7          = [[Ikaros Kallitheas B.C.|Ikaros Kallitheas]]
| years8         = 2013–2014
| team8          = [[Panionios B.C.|Panionios]]
| years9         = 2014–2017
| team9          = [[Aris B.C.|Aris Thessaloniki]]
| years10        = 2017–2018
| team10         = [[Peristeri B.C.|Peristeri]]
| cyears1        = 2018–2021
| cteam1         = [[BC UNICS|UNICS Kazan]] (assistant)
| cyears2        = 2021–2022
| cteam2         = [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]] (assistant)
| cyears3        = 2022–2023
| cteam3         = [[Tofaş S.K.|Tofaş]] (assistant)
| cyears4        = 2023–present
| cteam4         = Panathinaikos (assistant)
| highlights     =
* 2× [[Greek A2 Basket League|Greek 2nd Division]] champion (2007, 2018)
'''As assistant coach'''
* [[EuroLeague champion]] ([[2023–24 EuroLeague|2024]])
* [[Greek Basketball Super Cup|Greek Super Cup]] winner ([[2022 Greek Basketball Super Cup|2021]])
* [[Greek Basket League|Greek League]] champion (2024)
* [[Greek Basketball Cup|Greek Cup]] winner ([[2024–25 Greek Basketball Cup|2025]])
}}

'''Vassilis Symtsak''' (alternative spellings: Vasilis, Vasileios, Simtsak) ({{langx|el|Βασίλης Σίμτσακ}}; (born 3 March 1981) is a Greek professional [[basketball]] coach and former player, currently an assistant coach for [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]] of the [[Greek Basketball League]] (GBL) and the [[EuroLeague]], under head coach [[Ergin Ataman]]. Standing at 2.07 m (6&nbsp;ft 9 {{1/2}} in), he mainly played at the [[Center (basketball)|center]] position.<ref>[http://www.arisbc.gr/en/p/basilhs-simtsak Vassilis Symtsak Height 2.07.]</ref>

==Professional career==
Some of the clubs that Symtsak has played with in his pro career include: [[A.C. Doukas Basketball|Doukas]], [[Sporting BC|Sporting]], [[AEK B.C.|AEK Athens]], [[P.A.O.K. BC|PAOK]], [[Trikala 2000 BC|Trikala 2000]], [[Kavala B.C.|Kavala]], [[Ikaros Kallitheas B.C.|Ikaros Kallitheas]], and [[Panionios B.C.|Panionios]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130722144011/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/home/transactions/eurocup-2013-14/i/114947/8174/panionios-picks-up-big-man-symtsak Eurocupbasketball.com PANIONIOS picks up big man Symtsak.]</ref> In 2014, he signed with the [[Greek Basket League|Greek League]] club [[Aris B.C.|Aris]]. He then re-signed with Aris in 2015.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150722181536/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/66opb9vtdsgoc9ng Aris re-signs veteran big man Symtsak.]</ref>

After the end of the 2016–17 season, Symtsak completed 10 seasons in the [[Greek Basket League]], counting 1,068 points, 1,095 rebounds, 154 assists, 116 steals, and 43 blocks, in a total of 258 appearances.

On 19 July 2017, Symtsak penned a single-season deal with [[Greek A2 Basket League]] club [[Peristeri B.C.]] Averaging 6.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, he helped the club with his experience to celebrate the championship and the return to [[Greek Basket League]] after five years.

On July 21, 2022, he signed with [[Tofaş S.K.|Tofaş]] of the Turkish [[Basketbol Süper Ligi]] as an assistant coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://basketfaul.com/haber?haber=102327|title=TOFAŞ'a Yunan asistan|last=|first=|date=July 21, 2022|website=|publisher=basketfaul|language=tr|access-date=August 8, 2022}}</ref> On February 21, 2023, he returned to Panathinaikos as an assistant to [[Christos Serelis]].

==Personal life==
Symtsak is of mixed Polish and Greek descent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sport24.gr/Basket/OmadesBasket/A1Aris/simtsak-se-5-symfwnhsame-ta-panta.4122257.html |script-title=el:Σίμτσακ: "Θετικός για Άρη ο Καββαδάς" |language=Greek |publication-date=16 June 2016}}</ref> His father is Polish, while his mother originates from a Greek family that found [[Refugees of the Greek Civil War#Poland|refuge in Poland, after the Greek Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.metrosport.gr/article/apo-ton-kako-liko-sto-nick-galis-hall-simtsak |title=Από τον… κακό λύκο στο "Nick Galis Hall" ο Σίμτσακ! |language=Greek |publication-date=4 April 2016}}</ref>

==Awards and accomplishments==
*2× [[Greek A2 Basket League|Greek 2nd Division]] Champion: (2007, 2018)
;As assistant coach
* [[EuroLeague]] [[EuroLeague champion|Champion]] ([[2023–24 EuroLeague|2024]]) (with [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]])
* [[Greek Basket League|Greek League]] champion: 2024 (with [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]])
* [[Greek Basketball Super Cup|Greek Super Cup]] Winner: [[2022 Greek Basketball Super Cup|2021]] (with [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]])

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/?pcode=005218 EuroCup Profile]
*[http://www.basketballcl.com/16-17/Vassilis-SYMTSAK Champions League Profile]
*[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.playerID_65740.compID_BYg5Rb55Jw-G5I3MZ6JB01.season_2008.roundID_5839.teamID_1342.html FIBA Europe Profile]
*[http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Vassilis_Symtsak/Ikaros_Kallitheas/58457?AmNotSure=1 Eurobasket.com Profile]
*[http://widgets.baskethotel.com/site/esake/player/4966057/ Greek Basket League Profile] 
*[http://esake.gr/en/action/EsakeplayerView?idplayer=0000059C&mode=1&idteam=00000005&idchampionship= Greek Basket League Profile] {{in lang|el}}
*[http://www.aek.com/basketball/roster/vassilis_simtsak.htm AEK Profile]
*[http://www.arisbc.gr/en/p/basilhs-simtsak Aris Profile]
*[https://twitter.com/Sim_The_Dream Twitter] {{in lang|el}}

{{Panathinaikos B.C. current roster}}
{{Panathinaikos B.C. 2023–24 EuroLeague champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Symtsak, Vassilis}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:AEK B.C. players]]
[[Category:Aris B.C. players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Athens]]
[[Category:BC UNICS coaches]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:Doukas B.C. players]]
[[Category:Greek Basket League players]]
[[Category:Greek basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Greek expatriate basketball people in Russia]]
[[Category:Greek expatriate basketball people in Turkey]]
[[Category:Greek men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Greek people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Ikaros B.C. players]]
[[Category:Kavala B.C. players]]
[[Category:Panathinaikos B.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Panionios B.C. players]]
[[Category:P.A.O.K. BC players]]
[[Category:Peristeri B.C. players]]
[[Category:Polish people of Greek descent]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:Sporting basketball players]]
[[Category:Tofaş S.K. coaches]]
[[Category:Trikala B.C. players]]
[[Category:21st-century Greek sportsmen]]