Giorgos Kolokithas
A Greek basketball scoring sensation nicknamed 'Basket Machine' for his effortless ability to pour in points.
1945–2013 (age 68)·Greek basketball player·Birthday: November 2·The Silent Generation
Biography
Giorgos Kolokithas played with a smooth, natural scoring touch that made the difficult look routine. For over a decade with Panathinaikos Athens, he was the engine of one of Greek basketball's first dominant teams, leading them to multiple domestic championships. His nickname, 'Basket Machine,' was earned honestly; he could fill the hoop from anywhere on the court, combining size with a guard's agility. In 1970, his talent was recognized internationally when he was selected for the prestigious FIBA European Selection team, a rare honor for a player outside the Soviet or Yugoslavian powerhouses. While his career predated Greece's golden generation, Kolokithas was a foundational star whose offensive artistry helped popularize the sport in his country and cemented his place among Europe's finest players of his era.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Giorgos was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Giorgos Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Giorgos's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Died at 68
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991, a landmark honor celebrating the game's global history.
- Selected to play for the FIBA European Selection team in 1970, a testament to his continental standing.
- Won multiple Greek League championships with Panathinaikos Athens during the 1960s and 1970s.
Did You Know?
His son, Nikos Kolokithas, also became a professional basketball player in Greece.
He was known for his distinctive, high-arcing jump shot.
Despite his scoring prowess, he was not a frequent participant with the Greek national team, focusing largely on his club career.
“When I shot, the net was the only thing I saw.”
