Giorgos Tsalmpouris committed to Iowa State

Iowa State head basketball coach Fred Hoiberg announced Monday the signing of Greek national team member Georgios Tsalmpouris (George sal-BORE-us) to a national letter of intent. The 7-foot-1-inch Tsalmpouris, a Veroia, Greece, native, will be eligible for the 2014-15 season.

“Georgios gives us another big man that is able to run the floor and shoot the ball,” Hoiberg said. “He fits with how we want to play while giving us more length. I’m looking forward to helping him continue to develop as a basketball player.”

Tsalmpouris, who will turn 18 on June 22, averaged 27 points, 17 rebounds, 10 blocks and three assists for his under-17 regional team.

“As an elementary school student in Greece I started playing basketball having a dream, a big dream, for a country boy from a small rural town named Katerini.” Tsalmpouris said. “I hoped that one day I would be able to cross the Atlantic Ocean and playing basketball at a big university. Today I feel blessed because my dream came true on the best possible scenario. I am joining the Iowa State basketball team. I am so grateful to Coach Hoiberg and Coach Abdelmassih who recruited me and gave me the opportunity to learn from the best and contribute to the future success of the Iowa State basketball program.”

Tsalmpouris, who will become just the fifth 7-footer in Iowa State men’s basketball history, would make the Cyclones significantly taller than it was a year ago. ISU, which didn’t have a player on its active roster taller than 6-foot-8 in 2013-14, would have two players taller than that in Tsalmpouris and 6-foot-9-inch Jameel McKay.