The NBA, for all its teamwork and camaraderie, can still be a surprisingly solitary existence. Kosta Koufos, currently Greece’s sole representative in the world’s best league, can attest to that. Although he is currently navigating his own personal basketball journey, he would dearly like to see some of his fellow Hellenes make the transition over to America to join him in the NBA.

When you consider the rich basketball history of the country, it’s a shame that there is only a single representative.

The seven-foot Koufos, now in his second season with the Denver Nuggets, is recording career-high numbers in 2012-13, ensuring that he’s not only caught the attention of Denver coach George Karl, but he’s also giving Greek basketball the exposure it has been lacking in recent years.

Koufos, drafted by Utah in 2008, played a couple of seasons with the Jazz before a brief stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010-11, but it’s with the Nuggets, however, that the 24-year-old Greek American has really emerged as a valuable role player. A strong pre-season showing last September forced Karl to insert Koufos into his starting lineup and the centre has not disappointed since. Koufos credits both his coach, and a full pre-season with his teammates (he was not afforded that luxury during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign) as being instrumental in his growth.

“Yeah, definitely ,” says Koufos about his pre-season, “I try to keep an even keel, don’t get too high, don’t get too low, stay confident at all times and just play hard whatever minutes you get. I’m very fortunate, very blessed, to get all these minutes.”
Koufos’ numbers may seem moderate this season (8.0 points per game and 6.6 rebounds), but he does what’s required of him by his coach. It’s been his effectiveness on both ends of the floor that has helped make the upstart Nuggets a dark horse in the loaded Western Conference – capable of giving any team trouble in the playoffs.

He says the team is primed to make a deep run in these playoffs.

“Our goal is to make it as far as possible,” says Koufos. “Last year we got kicked out in the first round, we want to get the highest seed possible and make it as far in the playoffs as possible.”

Although the Ohio-native came up through the American college ranks, he has been representing Greece in international competition since he was a teenager. He says playing international ball gives him an advantage in the NBA.

“European basketball is a different type of basketball,” says Koufos on playing with Greece. ” I get the best of both worlds, now I’m combining both of those on the court, it’s really helped me a lot.”

He is still undecided if the grind of a full 82-game schedule in the NBA will allow him to join his national teammates this summer, but he maintains representing Greece was always close to his heart.

“I always wanted to play for my country,” stresses Koufos. “It’s an honour for me every time I go there and play and put the jersey on. When I was little it was always a dream of mine, I remember watching them play when they beat USA. I wore the Greek flag at high-school, I was really proud.”

Koufos notes that there isn’t any added pressure on him being the sole representative of Greece in the NBA – he is making sure that he is still spreading some aspects of the culture on to his teammates be it good or otherwise: Russian Timofey Mozgov has
learned almost every Greek curse word you can imagine. Koufos envisions one day soon when he’ll be joined in the NBA by more players from the motherland.

“I don’t feel any pressure. Never have, nor will I. I just view it as an opportunity for me to excel and I’m very honoured to represent the country of Greece in the NBA,” says Koufos.

“There’s been so many great Greek players. Sofoklis , Diamantidis, Spanoulis, the list goes on. Some of those guys played in the NBA but Kostas Papanikolaou (drafted by the New York Knicks, but had his rights traded to Portland) I can definitely see him coming over.

“There’s other guys as well, Bourousis, I feel like they can play in the league. Spanoulis as well.”

But until his fellow countrymen heed the siren calls, Koufos will have to sail the NBA seas on his own, proud to fly the blue-and-white flag.