By Michalis Gioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos Aktor opened the 2024-25 Regular Season of the EuroLeague with a home win over FC Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening.
After 344 days, Marius Grigonis bounced back in Europe’s premier club continental competition and on the glass floor of the Telekom Center Athens, providing one assist lasting just under eight minutes. An enthusiastic reception by the fans packing the venue replaced the pain and doubts of recent months with a huge smile for the 31-year-old Lithuanian winger.
“I am a bit rusty, but I am happy to be back,” he told Eurohoops after the Round 1 contest.
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“Mental struggle”
The native of Kaunas opened up on the warm welcome and his recovery from back surgery over recent months.
“I got goosebumps from the crowd’s reaction,” he confessed, “It was emotional, they touched my heart. This is better than hearing boos. I experienced this on the team, too, and I prefer applause.”
Beyond sharing his view on Panathinaikos players moving a little slower than usual on the court due to intense training over the last few days, he made a brief comment about rehabilitation lasting nearly one year.
“It is a long story, so I will not go into details, but I will say that it was a mental struggle,” he mentioned.
Grigonis moved his talents to the Greens before the 2022-23 season en route to being crowned EuroLeague champion in 2024. He is a veteran of 167 appearances in the league, including 73 with the Greek powerhouse.