It was Europe’s dominant force. A year ending in an odd number inevitably ended with Panathinaikos lifting the Euroleague trophy. Then came the wilderness years, with instability across the board. Yet in Abu Dhabi, they will enter the Euroleague Final Four as defending champions. The resurgence of the Greens under Ergin Ataman may have felt like an overnight event but it’s one that is built to last.
The countdown to the Euroleague Final Four in Abu Dhabi is under way. Today the focus is on Panathinaikos and how Ergin Ataman led its resurgence after more than a decade in the doldrums. Follow all of our extensive coverage of the event, from build-up to conclusion, here.
The Ataman Effect
The appointment of Ergin Ataman in the summer of 2023 was an instant statement. After Panathinaikos had endured some utterly rotten seasons in Euroleague, including a 17th place in the season just gone, this was as hard a reset as it got.
While the awful finish that season stands out, it’s worth noting that you had to go all the way back to 2018 for the last campaign where the Greens had a winning record in the competition. Bringing in Ataman, who had won three titles with Anadolu Efes, was a signal of intent. He’s a big personality used to dealing with big personalities.
His outward confidence rubbed off on the squad and, in true Ataman fashion, he was able to ensure the negative noise was focused on him. He essentially formed a double act with Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the team owner. They combined to take all the flack and keep the roster clear of it.
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A win-now roster
That strategy was important because Panathinaikos went with a win-now roster from the start. The big signings that summer of Mathias Lessort, Jerian Grant, Juancho Hernangomez, and, of course, Kostas Sloukas, immediately raised expectations. Then came Kendrick Nunn and those went through the roof.
There is however always a risk with such a degree of roster turnover. Ergin Ataman may be entertaining but he’s no fool. He knew that getting the pieces to gel would take time. Patience was required in the front half of that season so the surge could come later.
Building the roster with a mix of veteran savvy and high energy guys worked out well. The Greens were able to replace their long-term dysfunction with clarity and a clear direction. That ended in triumph in Berlin as the capped a remarkable journey back to the top of Euroleague.
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Kostas Sloukas and chemistry
Kendrick Nunn may be the face of the revival of Panathinaikos, especially after losing a tooth in the Euroleague playoffs. The on-court soul of it however was undoubtedly Kostas Sloukas. His move from Olympiacos added fuel to the unending fire that burns within the rivalry but he also brought leadership to the locker room.
Sloukas has built his reputation on being the man in big moments. That’s why he was the key signing for Ergin Ataman in the summer of 2023. He knew what Sloukas could do when his side needed someone to lead by example on the floor.
There was also the small matter of him being rather good at the conventional elements of point guard play. This often gets overlooked when discussing his impact on PAO but it was an issue Panathinaikos had struggled with for years. Sloukas was a plug and play fix to that, which was a key piece of the foundation for the resurgence.
From chaos to culture
It’s difficult to over-emphasise just how much of a mess Panathinaikos had become. This was a side that went from 4 Euroleague titles and 2 further Euroleague Final Four appearances in the 11 years prior to the slump to 0 trips to the final weekend with just 4 winning seasons from the next 11 years.
There was a revolving door of coaches. Signings came and went. The decline was self-perpetuating. While the Greens had loyal supporters, all those fans got in return were grim nights. Ergin Ataman’s actions and attitude changed that.
The club has now become a destination again for top talent. Having a lot of money to spend helps that. Still, players going to Athens now know that they’re not joining a reclamation project. They are going somewhere they expect to win trophies. For such a short turnaround that’s remarkable, even with the budget of the Greens. Now they just have to do it again in Abu Dhabi.
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