By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Aleksandar Dzikic emerged as a candidate to take over head-coaching duties at Panionios.
Gianmarco Pozzecco was previously linked to the BKT EuroCup participant as the top choice, but the Serbian expert held a prominent spot on the shortlist.
Both options were on the table for Panionios. With initial talks with the Italian expert lacking a deal, the Greek side is now looking into Dzikic.
“We had a deal, but he reconsidered,” mentioned team president and CEO, Thodoris Mikropoulos, in an interview with Greek public television, ERT, following a losing effort opposite Olympiacos in the Peace and Friendship Stadium, referring to Pozzecco, “We can’t linger on this. We are moving forward to sign an even better head coach.”
With Chris Chougkaz and Nikos Karagiannis recently replacing Luka Pavicevic as interim head coaches, the next game is against Buducnost VOLI in Moraca Sports Center on Wednesday. Early in the 2025-26 schedule, Panionios carries a 1-2 record in Group B of the EuroCup Regular Season, besides falling to 0-3 in Greece’s Stoiximan GBL Regular Season on Sunday.
Available at the club level, Dzikic recently penned a contract extension to remain the selector of Georgia’s senior national team until the FIBA World Cup 2027. The Belgrade native previously worked as an assistant under Dwane Casey at the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2005 to 2007. Following a lengthy spell as an assistant with Partizan and his NBA stint, head-coaching assignments included Union Olimpija, Krka, Lietuvos Rytas, Partizan, Buducnost, Movistar Estudiantes, and Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem.