By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After being appointed as the new head coach of Panionios Cosmorama Travel early in the 2025-26 season, Ilias Zouros left his position.
Following a losing effort against Iraklis in Thessaloniki’s Ivanofeio and being reduced to 1-11 in Greece’s Stoiximan GBL Regular Season on Saturday, the 59-year-old tactician submitted his resignation, which was accepted, the team announced on Monday.
Preparing for the next BKT EuroCup Regular Season outing, opposite JL Bourg in Ekinox on Tuesday, Nikos Karagiannis has been named head coach. Entering Round 12, the Greek side ranks last in Group B at 1-10 and is on the verge of elimination.
Starting his coaching career back in 1986, Zouros worked for the youth teams of Panionios and was later promoted to an assistant role with the senior squad. The reunion, more than two decades later, lasted only two months. Meanwhile, he served as the head coach of Olympiacos, Sagesse, Peristeri, Aris, Paris, Panellinios, Zalgiris, Anadolu Efes, Tofas, Buducnost, Promitheas, and Maroussi, and also as the selector of the senior national teams of Greece and Georgia.
Besides parting ways with the experienced Greek coach, Panionios added Jaylen Hands to the list of midseason player departures, following Tyler Wahl on December 21 and George Papas on December 17. The 26-year-old combo guard tallied 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per EuroCup game over eight appearances, including five starts. Domestically, he averaged 8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.1 blocks per contest over nine GBL games.