Klonaras Talks About Signing with Cal and Expectations For the Program

The Bears added their second 2019 signee of the week with the signing of 6-5 guard Dimitrios Klonaras from Thessaloniki, Greece, bringing international experience at the FIBA and club level to Cal’s roster.

Assistant coach Chris Harriman’s international scouting and connections paid dividends in the Bears’ most recent signing.

“Coach Harriman recruited me as soon as he got to Cal,” said Klonaras. “I had other visits planned, but when I heard about Berkele,y I was thrilled.”

Another thing that got Cal on Klonaras’ radar earlier was Cal’s profile in the NBA -a fact that was not lost on a basketball aficionado like Klonaris.

“I watch a lot of NBA and I know all the guys from there,” said Klonaras. “I know Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson and newer guys like Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb. I love watching all these players and I would love to meet them.

Klonaras is confident the skillset he’ll bring to the mix at Cal will be a boost to the program.

“I think I can help my team with my shooting and my size,” noted Klonaras, who averaged 23.5 points in the recent 3-game championships his Thessaloniki PAOK club played in. “I play hard and I give 100% every time. I think of myself as an all-around player and I can do whatever my coach asks me to do. I'm a competitor who hates losing, so I'll bring my mentality to Cal.

The relationship may not be long in duration but from everything the Greek guard has seen, he’s optimistic he’ll be a part of a program being rebuilt in the right way, by the right man.

“Coach Fox is a great person and the right coach for Cal,” said Klonaris. “He's doing everything to rebuild the program and take it where it belongs. I instantly felt like family. He is the kind of person that cares not only for the athlete, but the student and the person too.”

Commenting on the most recent addition, head coach Mark Fox added: “Dimitrios has a versatile game and we welcome his skills to our perimeter group. His experience in high-level international play will also be an advantage for him as he transitions to the college game.”

Klonaras helped lead Greece to the 2017 U16 FIBA Championships gold medal, leading the team in assists and finishing second in points, averaging 14 points and more than 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game to support Greece’s undefeated record. 

Klonaras is the second commit under Fox, joining forward Kuany Kuany in Cal’s latest group of signees. The duo boosts a class of incoming freshmen for the Bears that already includes Cal’s November signees Joel Brown and D.J. Thorpe.

Klonaras will be competing in the European championships this summer so he expects to arrive in Berkeley in mid-August.