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Summer study abroad
7-foot transfer will play for Greece, his homeland, in two international tournaments
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


Chris Russell | Dispatch
Ohio State sophomore Zisis Sarikopoulos doesn't expect to get a big offer from the European pros while playing for Greece, as Kosta Koufos did.


Jonathan Quilter | Dispatch

Coach Thad Matta was adamant that his Ohio State men's basketball team spend last summer together on campus, developing a chemistry that the 2007-08 team never had.

He has loosened the reins this summer, allowing junior Evan Turner to try out for the U.S. team that will play in the World University Games in Serbia next month and sophomore Zisis Sarikopoulos to play for his homeland, Greece, in world and European championship tournaments.

"Everybody knows everybody," said Matta, whose 13-man roster next season will include no newcomers. "And what they're going to do is good for them and probably going to help the team."

There was some uneasiness, though, about letting the 7-foot Sarikopoulos leave. Matta has not forgotten two summers ago, when Kosta Koufos played for Greece for the first time, dominated the European under-18 championships in Spain and was offered a reported $5 million to play professionally in Europe before he had played a game at OSU.

Koufos rejected the offer, but not before he and his mother did some soul-searching, and his coaches endured anxious moments.

Before Sarikopoulos (pronounced sera-KOP-olus) left last week, he said he had been asked by Matta and others what he would do if he received an offer this summer to play professionally. He has yet to play a game for Ohio State, having sat out last season after transferring from Alabama-Birmingham in July.

"I said I would love them to (make an offer), but right now, I don't think they're going to offer me so much money because I'm not ready yet," Sarikopoulos said.

"Kosta had that crazy offer, but Kosta was more ready than I am right now. I'm looking forward to coming back here next year. With the way we work here, it's going to be great for me to develop my game and reach my potential. That wouldn't happen if I stayed in Greece. That's why I'm playing college basketball."

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Summer study abroad