Konstantin Iroslavov Kostadinov (Bulgarian: Константин Ирославов Костадинов; born 25 March 2003) is a Bulgarian professional basketball player for La Laguna Tenerife of the Spanish Liga ACB and the FIBA Champions League. He plays on the small forward and power forward positions.

Konstantin Kostadinov
No. 2 – La Laguna Tenerife
PositionSmall forward / power forward
LeagueLiga ACB
Champions League
Personal information
Born (2003-03-25) 25 March 2003 (age 21)
Burgas, Bulgaria
Listed height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight96 kg (212 lb)
Career information
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Real Madrid B
2021–2022Palma
2022–presentTenerife
2022–2023Palencia
2023–2024HLA Alicante
Career highlights and awards

Early life and youth career

edit

Kostadinov began playing basketball at BC Delfin Burgas. In June 2016, he was signed by Real Madrid to play for their youth ranks.[1][2]

Kostadinov became the MVP of the 2017 Copa del Rey Junior averaging 15.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 21.6 PIR per game.[3]

In 2021, he won the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament with Real Madrid, recording a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game against Barcelona.[4][5]

Professional career

edit

On 6 August 2021, Kostadinov signed with Palmer Alma Mediterrànea Palma of the Spanish second division, the LEB Oro.[6] On 3 March 2022, he scored career-high 31 points, adding 10 rebounds and 2 assists in a 98–90 win against Força Lleida.[7]

On 4 August 2022, Kostadinov signed a multi-year contract with Lenovo Tenerife of the Liga ACB and was immediately loaned to Zunder Palencia of the LEB Oro for the 2022–23 season.[8][9] On 1 August 2023, he was loaned to HLA Alicante of the LEB Oro.[10]

National team career

edit

Kostadinov helped Bulgaria U16 finish 6th in the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship Division B, averaging 9.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 1.1 APG.[11] On 22 February 2021, he made his debut for the senior team in a EuroBasket 2022 qualification game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the youngest ever debutant for the team at 17 years, 10 months and 28 days of age.[12] He scored 11 points in a 61–80 loss.[13]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Konstantin | alero | Junior Baloncesto". realmadrid.com. 30 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Само в Sportal.bg! Неразказаната история на суперталанта Константин Костадинов" [Only in Sportal.bg! The untold story of supertalented Konstantin Kostadinov]. sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). 19 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Konstantin Kostadinov MVP de la Minicopa Endesa 2017". youtube.com. 30 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Real's Kostadinov has his eyes on ANGT glory". euroleague.net. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Real Madrid lifts second consecutive ANGT trophy". eurohoops.net. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Konstantin 'Kostas' Kostadinov llega al Palmer Alma Mediterránea Palma" [Konstantin "Kostas" Kostadinov arrives at Palmer Alma Mediterránea Palma]. bahiasanagustin.es (in Spanish). 6 August 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Competiciones FEB".
  8. ^ "EL LENOVO TENERIFE FICHA A KOSTAS KOSTADINOV Y LO CEDE AL PALENCIA BASKET DE LEB ORO" [Lenovo Tenerife signs "Kostas" Kostadinov and loans him to Palencia Basket of the LEB Oro]. cbcanarias.net (in Spanish). 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  9. ^ "KONSTANTIN KOSTADINOV LLEGA CEDIDO AL ZUNDER PALENCIA" [Konstantin Kostadinov loaned to Zunder Palencia]. palenciabasket.com (in Spanish). 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Kostas Kostadinov, polivalencia para el juego interior lucentino" [Kostas Kostadinov, versatility for Lucentum's inside game]. fundacionlucentum.com (in Spanish). 1 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Konstantin KOSTADINOV (BUL)'s profile". fiba.basketball. 30 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Константин Костадинов - българският диамант на баскетболния "Реал" (Мадрид)" [Konstantin Kostadinov - the Bulgarian diamond of Real Madrid basketball]. boulevardbulgaria.bg (in Bulgarian). 8 June 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Bulgaria v Bosnia and Herzegovina boxscore". fiba.basketball. 30 April 2022.
edit