The man official PR is calling “a Euroleague legend” has had his contract extended by Panathinaikos. Few can wear the “legend” label as uncontroversially as Sarunas Jasikevicius, having won Euroleague titles with Panathinaikos, FC Barcelona and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Indeed, over at the Maccabi official team website, the current poll “Who’s the best point guard that Maccabi ever had?” sees Jasikevicius crushing the opposition with a 62% vote.
Congratulations, Panthinaikos. We’d wish you luck, but with Jasikevicius aboard for more, you need less of it than most.
(Euroleague.net) – A Euroleague legend will keep on suiting up for the defending champions with the news that Panathinaikos and point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius have agreed to a new deal. Jasikevicius (192, 32) signed a one-year deal with a team option to extend it until the end of the 2010-11 season. He averaged 9.6 points and 3 assists in 22 Euroleague games last season, leading Panathinaikos all the way to the title. Jasikevicius also helped Panathinaikos to lift the Greek League and the Greek Cup trophies to complete the Triple Crown.
“Saras” is the only player that has won the Euroleague title with three different teams – Panathinaikos, Maccabi Tel Aviv and FC Barcelona. Jasikevicius won his first title as a starter for FC Barcelona in 2003 and his next two with Maccabi in 2004 and 2005. He was voted the 2005 Final Four MVP in Moscow and was named to the All-Euroleague First Team in 2004 and 2005. Jasikevicius is from Lithuania, but spent his teen years at high school and university in the United States. He made his pro debut in 1998 with Lietuvos Rytas of Vilnius and played the next season with Union Olimpija of Slovenia before moving to Barcelona for three seasons.
