Westtown welcomes a huge Greek import

Seth Berger probably had to pinch himself - and more than once.

In January, a man from Greece called Westtown and inquired about visiting the Quaker school with his then-15-year-old son and possibly enrolling him for the fall semester.

The prospective student just happened to be Georgios Papagiannis, a 7-foot-1, 240-pound center who many, including Berger, believe could be a first-round selection - maybe even a lottery pick - in the 2016 NBA draft.

Word spread in the spring that the wunderkind, who at 14 drew NBA scouts to a Greek Basket League game, was indeed coming to the United States. He arrived in September.

"The combination of his size, strength, and athleticism for a 16-year-old is really striking," said Berger, Westtown's coach. "He looks like a skilled 6-foot-5 wing player when he's dunking the basketball."

In addition to his towering frame and his shot-blocking abilities, Papagiannis has a strong basketball pedigree. His 6-7 father, Kanellos, played professionally in Greece.

"My gut is that George came here to get more acclimated to the speed and athleticism of the American game," Berger said. "He's totally committed to doing whatever he can do to reach his potential."

While Papagiannis gets adjusted to his new surroundings and playing for the Moose, Berger, who is in his ninth year at Westtown, has denied most media requests to interview the big junior.

"We're just trying let George be a kid, and let him have some fun," said the founder and former partner of And1.

During open-gym workouts in September, a number of Division I college coaches - including Villanova's Jay Wright, Temple's Fran Dunphy, and Maryland's Mark Turgeon - were at Westtown to watch Papagiannis.

That's also when Norm Eavenson, a scouting associate for the Bob Gibbons All Star Report, first got an up-close look at the junior.

"I was duly impressed," Eavenson said. "He's worthy of all the comments that people in Europe were making about him."

Eavenson, a scout for 25 years, noted that Papagiannis has "a big body with a frame to add strength and weight; good court IQ; great footwork in the post; possesses soft hands; and appears comfortable and confident in his abilities."

On the offensive end, Eavenson said the center "already has a well-developed skill set with the ability to score with either hand in the paint. He can also step away from the basket and make 15-foot jump shots."

Does Eavenson agree with colleagues who project Papagiannis to be a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA draft?

"It's a possibility," he said. "It's a distinct possibility."

Papagiannis, who grew up in a suburb outside of Athens, averaged nine blocks while playing for Greece's national team in the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-16 National Championship.

Berger said Papagiannis has the requisite mean streak to be a force inside.

"He's really competitive," the coach said. "He hates losing."

Berger added, "He's very comfortable being big, and he's comfortable playing big. When he's dunking, he's trying to bring the backboard down."

Papagiannis and his parents were drawn to Westtown in part because of the student body's international flavor. About 20 percent, including five basketball players, hail from overseas.

That includes Dimitrios Fotopoulos, a 6-10 center from Greece, and Edvinas Rupkus, a 6-2 wing guard from Lithuania.

Berger said Papagiannis is also making a smooth transition off the court.

"He's got a big personality, loves to have fun, is a social kid," Berger said. "He's comfortable with people, and people are comfortable with him."