Bartzokas was born on 11 June 1965, in Athens, Greece. At a young age, he first played the sport of football. In 1977, at the age of 12, he began playing the sport of basketball, with the youth teams of the Greek basketball club Maroussi Athens. He remained in Maroussi's youth teams until 1981.
Professional career
After spending four years with the youth teams of Maroussi Athens, Bartzokas joined Maroussi's senior men's club in 1981, at the age of 16. Bartzokas, a 2.00 m (6'7") tall power forward-center, made his senior level debut in the Greek 2nd Division (B) league, during the 1981–82 season. Bartzokas went on to play club basketball with Maroussi Athens, in both the Greek 2nd Division (A2) and Greek 3rd Division (B) leagues, until 1992. During his tenure with the club, he was the team's leading scorer and team captain.
Bartzokas' playing career ended at the age of 27, after he had suffered serious knee injuries to both of his legs. He first suffered a torn right knee ACL injury, and then later on he also suffered a torn left knee ACL injury. Prior to his knee injuries, the Greek clubs AEK Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus had considered signing him.
Coaching career
Early coaching career
Bartzokas originally began working as an assistant basketball coach in Greece, in 1987, at the age of 22, while he was still also actively playing club basketball. After he retired from his playing career, Bartzokas first worked as a head coach in the Greek clubs Pefki, Vrilissia Basket, GS Kifissias, and OFI Irakleio. With Vrilissia Basket, he earned two league promotions. With Kifissias, he earned one league promotion.
Prior to the 2006–07 season, Bartzokas signed on as the head coach of the Greek club Olympia Larissa. That same season with Olympia, he managed to reach the playoffs of the 2006–07 Greek Basketball League. That was the first time in the club's history that they had made the league's playoffs. Olympia Larissa eventually finished in seventh place in the league overall. As a result, Bartzokas was named the 2007 Greek League Coach of the Year. Bartzokas then repeated the Greek League playoffs qualification with Olympia the next year, during the 2007–08 season.
Maroussi Athens
For the 2009–10 season, Bartzokas became the head coach of the Greek club Maroussi Athens.[1] Under Bartzokas' leadership, Maroussi managed to qualify for the Top 16 Phase of the EuroLeague's 2009–10 season. In Greek domestic competition, Maroussi finished in third place in the Greek League's 2009–10 season. Bartzokas was named the Greek League Best Coach of that same season.[2]
On July 8, 2016, Bartzokas signed a three-year contract with the Spanish ACB team FC Barcelona.[8] With Barça, Bartzokas won the 2016 Catalan League championship. After one season with the club, Barcelona parted ways with him.[9]
Khimki Moscow Region
On June 30, 2017, Bartzokas returned to the VTB United League, in order to become the new head coach of the Russian club Khimki Moscow Region. He signed a two-year contract with the club.[10] With Khimki, Bartzokas won the Gomelsky Cup tournament in 2017. On 21 January 2019, Bartzokas left Khimki, after his contract with the club was terminated.[11]
Return to Olympiacos
On January 10, 2020, Barzokas returned to the Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus, after he signed a 2+1⁄2-year deal with them. After two months as the club's head coach, the 2019–20 season was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. In the following 2020–21 season, Bartzokas tried to rebuild the team's roster, after Kostas Sloukas returned to the team. However, Olympiacos didn't qualify for the playoff round of the EuroLeague's 2020–21 season. In the 2021–22 season, Bartzokas won the 2022 Greek Cup title with Olympiacos. That was Bartzokas' first Greek national domestic title. Shortly after that, he also won the 2022 Greek League championship. While in the EuroLeague's 2021–22 season, he qualified with Olympiacos to the 2022 Belgrade Final Four, in which they finished in the fourth place. Bartzokas was named the 2022 EuroLeague Coach of the Year.
Bartzokas' family hails from the Greek village of Kentriko, Arta. His father Andreas (1925–2015), was a member of the Greek KKE political party, and he was a political prisoner during the 1950s and 1960s.[12]
Coaching record
Legend
G
Games coached
W
Games won
L
Games lost
W–L %
Win-loss %
Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.
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