By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos Aktor faces a critical junction in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season as they prepare to host Paris at the Telekom Center Athens for Round 29. The Greens find themselves in a high-stakes battle for postseason positioning, currently entrenched in a four-way tie with a 16-12 record. While they maintain a two-game cushion within the Play-In Showdown zone, the direct path to the Playoffs is just half a game away, making every remaining fixture essential.
The primary concern for head coach Ergin Ataman is the potential absence of reigning season MVP Kendrick Nunn. The 30-year-old guard, who has been a statistical juggernaut with averages of 19.3 points and 3.6 assists, missed Wednesday’s practice due to illness. Should Nunn be unable to suit up, the backcourt responsibilities will shift heavily onto the shoulders of veteran floor generals Kostas Sloukas and Jerian Grant.
Frontcourt depth remains equally precarious. Mathias Lessort remains sidelined as he rehabilitates from left ankle surgery, with his absence this week compounded by a one-game league suspension. Ataman has voiced significant uncertainty regarding the center’s conditioning upon his eventual return. This instability is further exacerbated by the departure of Omer Yurtseven and Vassilis Toliopoulos, who have left the squad to represent their national teams in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. With the EuroLeague registration deadline looming, the coaching staff is weighing whether to seek a new frontcourt signing or rely on Yurtseven.
“We aren’t sure about Mathias’s condition. He will return, but we don’t know in what shape. Honestly, I don’t know,” noted 60-year-old Ataman during a pregame media session.