By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
At the bottom end of a double-game week in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, Richaun Holmes is set to return to action for Panathinaikos Aktor.
Providing an update on the injury list during a pregame media session on Wednesday, head coach Ergin Ataman revealed that 32-year-old Holmes has been medically cleared and is available to play against Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv in Telekom Center Athens on Thursday, and that Kostas Sloukas has avoided a serious setback after his late exit from Tuesday’s matchup with Fenerbahce Beko due to a knee injury. However, it remains unclear how the Illinois native will be reintegrated into the lineup after being sidelined with a right knee injury since late October, as confirmed by the 59-year-old head coach.
Before being forced to the injury list, Holmes started his EuroLeague career with 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, and 0.3 assists per contest over six appearances, including two starts. He previously played 492 NBA games since being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers out of Bowling Green with the 37th overall pick in 2015.
With recent left ankle surgery extending a lengthy spell on the sidelines, 30-year-old Mathias Lessort is the only unavailable player for the next continental challenge versus the team coached by Dimitris Itoudis. On the Israeli side, only 30-year-old Bruno Caboclo, in the final stages of back surgery rehab, is out.
Moving to the Round 17 fixture, Panathinaikos sits fourth at 10-6, two games behind the 12-4 W-L tally of leader Hapoel.