By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
In a move that will send shockwaves through European basketball, Željko Obradović has returned to Panathinaikos, with the Greek giants announcing the legendary coach on a three-year contract.
More than a decade after his departure, the most successful coach in European basketball is back at the club where he built a dynasty and created some of the most memorable chapters in the history of the sport.
The announcement was delivered with a simple yet powerful message:
“As if not a day had passed.”
Obradović’s name is synonymous with Panathinaikos’ golden era, a period marked by domestic dominance, unforgettable European nights, and multiple continental titles that established the club among the elite of world basketball, a status the Greek giant wants to recover after Ergin Ataman’s era.
Obradovic enjoyed an extraordinary spell at Panathinaikos between 1999 and 2012, turning the club into a dominant force in European basketball. During his tenure, he won five EuroLeague titles (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011), eleven Greek League championships (2000, 2001, 2003–2011), and seven Greek Cups (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2012). In total, Obradović guided Panathinaikos to 23 major trophies, establishing one of the greatest dynasties in the history of European club basketball and cementing his legacy as the most successful coach ever to lead the Greens.
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