He European basketball market is burning and Panathinaikos is one of those responsible. The Greek club has taken a step forward this summer with a striking sports project for players and fans.
This year 13 will have passed since the last European title and two since the last time they lifted a title. The board of directors has given a 180º turn to the squad and become one of the candidates for the next edition of the highest competition for basketball clubs in Europe.
The first and most important movement was the arrival of Ergin Ataman. The Turkish coach comes to be the head of command for the new Panathinaikos. Two Euroleagues in the last three seasons with Anadolu Efes, plus a League and a Cup, support him as one of the best European coaches. The situation of the team was not easy, last season it ended as the penultimate ranked in the Euroleague (9-23)only ahead of ASVEL.
Ataman has up to 10 confirmed new faces in its ranks (they will reach 11 with the Polish pivot from Gran Canaria Olek Balcerowski). The Turk will have the reigning Eurocup MVP Jerian Grant. His stint at Ankara’s Turk Telekom, with 14.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 18.7 PIR, It has not gone unnoticed by the greats of continental basketball. A highly reinforced external position with the signatures of Luca Vildoza and Dimitris Moraitis. The Argentine point guard who continues to have legal problems with Baskonia, returned to the old continent after a fleeting stint in the nba. For his part, the Hellenic guard made the leap to a bigger team in his league, which paid for his clause, after two good seasons in the Peristeri, with 8.2 points and 3.4 assists on average. To them must be added a well-known name in Spanish basketball, kyle guy.
In painting they have not been left behind either with the arrivals of Kostas Antetokounmpo, Mathias Lessort, Kostas Mitoglou and Ioannis Papapetrou. The counterpart comes with the goodbye of Papagiannis, who heads to Fenerbahçe. Kostas, first Antetokounmpo in win the nba, has had his best season in a professional league. Teams from his country quickly went after him, with Panathinaikos taking the fight. The case of French is somewhat similar: two good seasons in Partizan They have caught the attention of many clubs that have offered him a quality leap in his contract. A center who was chosen in the best quintet of the competition, being the top rebounder. Mitoglou returns home after a couple of campaigns in Olympia Milano. papapetrou He returns after a season in Partizán, where he did not finish settling down to the team’s game.
The penultimate new face that has become official was that of the point guard Kostas Sloukas with a movement in a few hours to remove it from his main rival, Olympiacos. The great economic offer (ten million net for three seasons) that places him as the highest paid Greek player in the league has weighed more than a return to the club where he began his career. A decision that has not sat well with the fans. A few hours after the announcement, ultras lit flares and chanted against Sloukas during a friendly match in Austria. For their part, fans greens They couldn’t be more excited to start the season.
The penultimate push is kyle guy. The escort was one of those intended by media Europewith teams like Real Madrid waiting to see his move. His good end of the season at Joventut earned him the attention of many, as well as his background in the NCAA and NBA. Valencia Basket tried to sign him by presenting a qualified offer to the League, but La Penya exercised his right of first refusal and matched it. It was because behind it was a big man from the Continent, the PAO, who, to make room for him, let Ponitka and Thomas go. The star signing of the market has been the recent contracting of the Spanish Juancho Hernangomez. The forward from Madrid wanted by Barca, in a last-minute twist, left for Greece. His past in the NBA and his MVP in the final of the last Eurobasket, make him a one of the best european basketball players. The topic of arrivals could be closed with Balcerowski to shore up a dream team.
The reinforcements on the track and on the bench can cause the club’s windows are filled with trophies again.
