By Vangelis Ioannou / info@eurohoops.net
After saying goodbye to Olympiacos once again without reaching a new agreement with the red-and-white powerhouse and being close to Fenerbahce and Partizan, a crazy turnaround happened in the Kostas Sloukas saga: the 33-year-old experienced Greek point guard has officially joined Panathinaikos.
According to Eurohoops sources, Panathinaikos‘ owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos himself contacted the player for the first time one day before Olympiacos announced that Kostas Sloukas and his beloved Greek club were parting ways. With a deal in place with Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos made an incredible offer of 10 million net for three years, which led to the agreement with Kostas Sloukas.
Coming back to Olympiacos in 2020 after five years in the yellow-and-blue side of Istanbul, he has been crucial in helping the Greek powerhouse reach the EuroLeague Final Four in back-to-back fashion. In the 2022-23 season, he averaged 11.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in 36 appearances starting from the bench.
This is the latest sign of a new era for Panathinaikos, which saw its beginning at the end of the last EuroLeague season with Ergin Ataman joining the green-and-white side. Kostas Sloukas is the sixth arrival of the summer after Kostas Antetokounmpo, Dimitris Moraitis, Luca Vildoza, Matthias Lessort, and Dinos Mitoglou. Five players, instead, left the team: Paris Lee, Nate Wolters, Derrick Williams, Arturas Gudaitis, and Mateusz Ponitka. Jerian Grant is also expected to join Panathinaikos after being named EuroCup MVP with Turk Telekom Ankara.
“I feel that I haven’t been able to inspire the same respect from everyone. However, one sour note at the end does not overshadow three wonderful years. I leave with a sense of fulfillment and a clear conscience, knowing that I did my best and more to honor the jersey. I fought alongside my teammates, the fans, and the management, who trusted me during a challenging time for the organization. I hope I have given back as much as I could”, Kostas Sloukas commented on his Instagram profile following his departure from Olympiacos.
Η ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του αθλητή Κώστα Σλούκα για τα επόμενα τρία χρόνια.
Καλό καλοκαίρι σε όλους τους Παναθηναϊκούς!#WeTheGreens #paobc pic.twitter.com/lWed3y4Sq7
— Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) July 8, 2023