One of Greece’s iconic basketball veterans, Vasilis Goumas, has died at the age of 79.

The “Emperor”, as the international player became known by fans, made a name for himself at Athens-based club AEK.

Goumas, whose illustrious career spanned from 1961 to 1988 playing for Panelinios, Ilisiakos, and AEK Athens, was born in 1946 in Volos, central Greece, and left an indelible mark on the sport in the country.

During his career, he also played abroad, with stints in South Africa, Ethiopia and Portugal for Johannesburg Athletic Club, Olympiacos Addis Ababa, and the Lourenço Marques Athletic Club.

A highlight of his distinguished career was winning the Greek Cup in 1981 with AEK, while on an individual level, he was named the league’s top scorer four times (1970, 1974, 1975 and 1977). He also holds second place on the all-time scoring list in the top flight, with 11,030 points.