Panathinaikos B.C.
| Panathinaikos B.C. | ||||
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| Leagues |
Euroleague Greek Basket League Greek Cup | |||
| Founded | 1922 | |||
| History |
Panathinaikos BC (1922–present) | |||
| Arena | Olympic Indoor Hall | |||
| Capacity | 19,250[2] | |||
| Location | Athens, Greece | |||
| Team colors |
Green, White | |||
| President | Manos Papadopoulos | |||
| Head coach | Aleksandar Đorđević | |||
| Ownership | Giannakopoulos family | |||
| Championships |
6 European Championships 34 Greek Championships 16 Greek Cups 1 Intercontinental Cup 2 Triple Crowns | |||
| Retired numbers | 1 (4) | |||
| Website | paobc.gr | |||
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(Men's) |
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Panathinaikos B.C. (Greek: ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός Α.Ο.), also known simply as Panathinaikos, or with its full name Panathinaikos BSA Athens,[3] is the professional basketball team of the major Athens based multi-sport club Panathinaikos A.O.. It is owned by the billionaire Giannakopoulos family.
The parent athletic club was founded in 1908, while the basketball team was founded in 1922, being one of the oldest in the country. They are the only unrelegated team with participation in every First Division Championship until today (together with Aris BC). Panathinaikos has developed into the most successful basketball team in Greek basketball's history, and among the best in Europe, creating its own dynasty. They have won 34 Greek Basket League Championships, 16 Greek Cups, 9 Doubles (all records), 6 Euroleague Championships, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 2 Triple Crowns. They hold also the record for the most consecutive Greek League titles, as they are the only team to have won 9 consecutive Championships (2003-2011), such as the record for the most consecutive Greek Basketball Cup titles (5 seasons from 2004 to 2009). The team plays in the O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall.
Among the well-known top class players that have played with the club over the years include: Fragiskos Alvertis, Nikos Oikonomou, Edgar Jones, Antonio Davis, Nikos Galis, Stojko Vranković, Arijan Komazec, Alexander Volkov, Žarko Paspalj, Tiit Sokk, Panagiotis Giannakis, Dominique Wilkins, Fanis Christodoulou, Marcelo Nicola, Hugo Sconochini, Byron Dinkins, Byron Scott, Dino Rađa, Dejan Bodiroga, Oded Kattash, Ferdinando Gentile, Željko Rebrača, Antonis Fotsis, İbrahim Kutluay, Jaka Lakovič, Pepe Sánchez, Ariel McDonald, Kostas Tsartsaris, Robertas Javtokas, Mike Batiste, Dimitris Diamantidis, Nick Calathes, Vassilis Spanoulis, Dejan Tomašević, Sani Bečirovič, Ramūnas Šiškauskas, Tony Delk, Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Drew Nicholas, Jason Kapono, Jonas Mačiulis, Stéphane Lasme, Roko Ukić and Nikola Peković. Such players, the successful management of former long-time owners Pavlos Giannakopoulos and Thanassis Giannakopoulos, and the long-time guidance of the most successful coach in Euroleague history, Željko Obradović, have made Panathinaikos the most successful team in Europe over the last two-and-a-half decades.
Panathinaikos is the only team on the European continent to win as many as six Euroleague titles, since the establishment of the modern era Euroleague Final Four format in 1988 (no other club has won more than four Euroleague championships in this period). Overall, and on the basis of the club's achievements, in both Greece and Europe, Panathinaikos BC is the most successful Greek team ever in the history of Greek sports.
They hold a long-term rivalry with Olympiakos and matches between the two teams are referred to as "Derby of the eternal enemies".
History
Basketball in Greece (1918–1945)
Panathinaikos started as a football club in 1908. In 1919, basketball was still unknown in Greece. During that period Giorgos Kalafatis with other athletes participated in the Inter-Allied Games in Paris and attended basketball games between the Allies of World War I. When he later returned to Greece with the necessary equipment, he set up the Panathinaikos basketball club, led by Apostolos Nikolaidis.
In 1922, PAO played their first match against X.A.N. Thessaloniki B.C. (YMCA), another club also pioneer of basketball in Greece, a match which took place at the Panathenaic Stadium. Regrettably, the lack of equipment and interest quickly led to the dissolution of the team.
In 1937, Kalafatis managed to create a new Panathinaikos team that, during the following year, tried to catch up with already established clubs like the YMCA, Ethnikos G.S. Athens, Panionios, Aris and Iraklis. Angelos Fillipou, Nikos Mantzaroglou, Litsas and Dimitrakos were the ringleaders of the group and were later joined by Telis Karagiorgos, Thymios Karadimos, Giorgos Bofilios, Philipos Papaikonomou, Petros Polycratis and Nikos Polycratis. During the German occupation that followed, Dimitris Giannatos (founding member of the basketball team) was executed by the Nazis for his resistance action.
Postwar history (1946–1970)
In 1946 (the first post-war championship) and 1947, Panathinaikos emerged champions, with the help of players like Giannis Lambrou, Missas Pantazopoulos, Stelios Arvanitis (these players would later go on to win the bronze medal in Eurobasket 1949) and Jack Nicolaidis (nephew of Apostolos Nikolaidis).
In 1950 and 1951, Panathinaikos emerged champions once again with the help of great athletes Fedon Matheou (considered the Patriarch of Greek basketball) and Nikos Milas. In 1954 the club would repeat the success, however the next five years would prove fruitless and the club, despite its strength, would have to be renewed.
In 1961 Panathinaikos won the Greek championship with new leaders Giorgos Vassilakopoulos, Stelios Tavoularis and Petros Panagiotarakos. In 1962 Panathinaikos made the repeat and was again the Greek champion. That was also the year that PAO took part for the first time in a European competition facing Hapoel Tel Aviv for the European Championship.
In the 23rd of November 1963, Panathinaikos beat Olympiacos 90-48 for the Mantellos Cup, a tournament that was later replaced by the Greek Cup, which made its first appearance in 1976.
In 1967, Panathinaikos were crowned champions, with Giorgos Kolokithas (one of the greatest basketball players of his era) in their ranks. In 1969, the conquest of the Championship was followed by the first European success of the club, the entrance in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup, where they were eliminated by Dinamo Tbilisi. The next year, 1970, PAO were the first Greek basketball team to use a foreign player (Craig Greenwood) in a European game.
The Golden Age (1970–1984)
During these golden years, Panathinaikos won 10 out of 14 Greek championships[4] with their great leader and scorer Apostolos Kontos.
1971–1975: 5 consecutive Championships
During this period, Kostas Mourouzis, nicknamed the fox of coaching, managed the team of the 4-K (the young Kontos, Koroneos, Kokolakis and Kefalos). These players, along with Iordanidis, who functioned as a link with older players, won 5 consecutive championships and made the greatest accomplishment of their time by participating in the semifinals of the European Championship, aided by American Willy Kirkland. Unfortunately, Ignis Varese, one of the giants of the era, proved an insurmountable obstacle for Panathinaikos.
Over the next 4 seasons Panathinaikos captured the championship once in 1977 and also won their first Greek Cup in 1979. They acquired Memos Ioannou in 1974 and Greek-American David Stergakos in 1979 (a player that would contribute greatly in the coming years).
The five years that followed, Panathinaikos won 4 Championships (1980, 1981, 1982, 1984) and two Cups (1982, 1983). More specifically, in 1982, coached by Kostas Politis, Panathinaikos succeeded in winning their first double as well as placing 5th in Europe. Before this, the team got the better they could from a strong CSKA team in the last seconds of a thriller match. The last championship, before the decline that followed, was in 1984 when Panathinaikos won the big game title in Corfu, starring Liveris Andritsos and Tom Kappos.
Panathinaikos had a great chance to avoid the upcoming decline when he discovered Rony Seikaly but bureaucratic problems prevented him from playing in the Greek Championship as a Greek citizen, despite being entitled to do so, which forced him to move to the USA.
The decline of 1985–1992
In 1985, PAO finished in 3rd place in the league. Stergakos, Ioannou, Vidas, Andritsos and Koroneos – who left the following year – were the key players. The balance however had now tilted in favour of Aris BC and Panathinaikos ceased to be a leader and were limited to a secondary role. Nevertheless, they remained a worthy adversary. Thus, in 1986, against all odds, they managed to eliminate powerful Aris from the Greek Cup at the semifinal stage. Then Panathinakos went on to win Olympiakos in the final and conquer their last title until 1993. During the next 2 seasons, PAO would finish in 5th place (worst result since many years ago).
In 1988, the ban on using foreign players in the league was lifted and Panathinaikos were able to acquire Edgar Jones from the NBA. He was a capable shooter, scorer and rebounder and for the next 2 years was the star of the team. Although PAO achieved significant wins over the other major Greek teams, they did not manage any notable distinction. The next two years, Antonio Davis, who later made a great career in the NBA, replaced Jones as the leader of the team stats. At this point of time, Panathinaikos had also acquired some of the most talented young Greek players (Fragiskos Alvertis, Nikos Economou and Christos Myriounis), but that didn't stop them from experiencing the worst period in the history of the club, finishing 7th in 1991 and dropping to 8th position in 1992, which left them for the first time outside Europe since 1967.
Return to distinction (1992–1995)
In 1992 the basketball department became professional under the management of Giannakopoulos family. In the summer of 1992, Panathinaikos attempted a full reconstruction of the team. Nikos Galis, the top Greek basketball player, was acquired by the club and was flanked by star players Stojko Vranković, Tiit Sokk and Arijan Komazec. Thus, Galis lead PAO to a Greek Cup win and also to the Championship final, where they lost despite home advantage. The next season 1993–94 Nikos Galis along with Alexander Volkov and Stojko Vranković led Panathinaikos to 3rd place in Europe for the first time in the club's history, although they didn't manage any title back home.
The 1994–95 season started with the best conditions as the club acquired Panagiotis Giannakis and Žarko Paspalj. PAO was again the favourite for all domestic titles. The club started by eliminating Olympiakos from the Greek Cup in a very tough game before the start of the Championship. However, after the first games for the Greek Championship, Nikos Galis, the player that had led PAO in the cup game against Olympiakos and also in the decisive game for the Euroleague qualifiers, stopped his basketball career. As a consequence, the team, despite playing some great games, only managed to retain 3rd place in Europe and compete in the Greek finals.
European, Intercontinental and Greek Champions (1996–1998)
During the years 1996–98, Panathinaikos fulfilled all of their objectives by winning the European Championship, the Intecontinental cup and the Greek championship (in this order).
In 1996 the expectations in the team had now risen a lot, as it was imperative for Panathinaikos to obtain a significant title. In the summer of 1995, they acquired Dominique Wilkins, one of the top American players ever played in Europe. The coach of the team was Božidar Maljković. The former along with Giannakis, Vranković, Alvertis and Patavoukas comprised a very experienced team which, in 1996, managed an unprecedented success for Greek basketball. Indeed, in April 1996, at the Paris Final Four, Panathinaikos became the first Greek team to lift the European Championship (now called the Euroleague), beating FC Barcelona in the tournament final, by a score of 67–66. Back in Greece, right after the big win in Paris, Panathinaikos wasn't able to clinch the Greek title, losing again the title by Olympiakos.
The next season, Maljković removed all the stars from the roster in an attempt of assembling a squad based on teamwork. With the start of the season, PAO were crowned Intercontinental Champions, prevailing by 2–1 wins in a 3-game series over Olimpia de Venado Tuerto, South American champions. Unfortunately, the restructuring of the team failed and Panathinaikos failed to participate in the Final Four to defend their European title. Moreover, they finished in 5th place in the championship, thus losing the right to participate in next season's Euroleague.
At the next season Slobodan Subotić assumed technical leadership and convinced Dino Rađa to come to PAO. This great transfer was accompanied by Byron Scott and Fanis Christodoulou and with the help of Alvertis, Economou and Koch, Panathinaikos finally won the Greek league after 14 years.
The 1998–99 season was proved very important for Panathinaikos, as Olympiakos who had gained home advantage were prepared to return to the top. It was at the last game of the finals, when Panathinaikos achieved one of the most decisive away victories against their rivals, capturing the title.
Obradović era (1999–2012): Golden years in Greece and Europe
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The arrival of Željko Obradović to Panathinaikos during summer 1999 marked the beginning of an extraordinary period for the club, with many major successes and the establishment of the team as one of the strongest in the history of European basketball.
The first thing that Obradovic did was to adapt the team on Dejan Bodiroga, who was the absolute leader of Panathinaikos. As a result of the success of his strategy, PAO managed to capture 2 Euroleague titles (2000, 2002) after 3 consecutive Euroleague finals appearances (2000–2002) and also won 3 consecutive Greek championships (1999–2001). In 2000 at the Thessaloniki Euroleague Final Four, Panathinaikos became Champions of Europe for the second time, beating Macabbi Tel Aviv 73–67 in the final. In 2002, in Bologna 2002 Euroleague Final Four, Panathinaikos won the most prestigious European trophy for the third time, beating hosts Kinder Bologna by the score of 89–83 in the final.
Nevertheless, this period they failed to win the Greek Cup, even though they played in two finals. Rebrača, Gentile, Middleton, Alvertis, Kattash, Kutluay and Fotsis were some of the players who excelled during these years. The dominance in the Greek league was finally interrupted in 2002, the year that PAO won their 3rd European Championship. Also at the end of the year, there were many significant changes, starting with the withdrawal of Bodiroga, making a renewal imperative.
2002–03 was the year that Obradovic used to restructure Panathinaikos and return them to the top of Greece. He emphatically achieved this objective by leading the team to 9 Championships in row (2003–11) with 6 doubles in Greece and 2 triple crowns (i.e. double plus Euroleague champions) in the next years, thus creating a dynasty. Panathinaikos had radically changed the style of their game after replacing Bodiroga. The game contribution of the Serbian player was replaced by an unprecedented model of teamwork that proved that a super star was unnecessary. Players such as Lakovic, Alvertis, Diamantidis, Fotsis, Tsartsaris, Batiste and later Spanoulis, Siskauskas and Jasikevicius, who played not for themselves but for the maximum success of the team, led to the transformation of PAO into a title-winning machine that was not hampered by irreplaceable players and this quality was widely recognized.
At the 2007 Euroleague Final Four, which was held on their home court of OAKA in Athens, Panathinaikos became European Champions for the fourth time, beating the defending champions CSKA Moscow 93–91 in the final.
The same teams (PAO and CSKA) competed in the final of the 2009 Euroleague Final Four in Berlin, where Panathinaikos won the trophy again, for the fifth time in their history. The score was 73–71. On December 14, 2009, Panathinaikos was voted top Greek team of 2009 by the Sports Journalists Association, with 1,291 votes. In addition, coach Zelimir Obradovic was voted the top coach, with 1,399 votes.
At the 2011 Euroleague Final Four in Barcelona, Panathinaikos, after a great performance of Calathes in the semifinal against Siena (17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals), won 77–69, and reached the Euroleague Final against Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the final, Panathinaikos won its sixth Euroleague title, by holding off Maccabi by a score of 78-70.
Post-Obradović period (2012–2014)
After the departure of Obradović, Panathinaikos' head coach, Argiris Pedoulakis, was forced to make massive changes to the team with 12 new players being added to the roster, including NBA players Jason Kapono and Marcus Banks. Team captains Dimitris Diamantidis and Kostas Tsartsaris led the rebuilding effort for the Greens, who reached the Euroleague quarterfinals, only to fall to FC Barcelona in a 5-game series. Panathinaikos won their 14th Greek Cup, by beating Olympiacos in the final, with a three-point difference (81-78).[5] During the same year, Panathinaikos was able to break Olympiacos' home court twice in the finals, conquering the Greek A1 Championship for the 33rd time in the club's history.
Since Dimitris Giannakopoulos first became the chairman of Panathinaikos, he repeatedly attempted to secure marketing deals with Asian corporations. The first step was made when Panathinaikos announced that they had signed Chinese basketball player Shang Ping. This deal made Panathinaikos the first European club to have a Chinese player on its roster. On 12 September 2013, Panathinaikos landed on the airport of Guangzhou, becoming the first European team to make a trip to China via airline. On 13 September 2013, Panathinaikos wrote European history once again in less than two days, becoming the fist European team to ever face a Chinese team. In addition, Panathinaikos became the first European team to win against the Chinese team Foshan Dralions with a score of 66-67.
On 8 March 2014, due to the fans' dissatisfaction for the bad record in Euroleague and bad rotation, it was announced the replacement of the team's head coach Argiris Pedoulakis. It was also announced that the team would go to the Greek finals under the guidance of the club's legend Fragiskos Alvertis as a caretaker coach.[6]
New era and Greek-based roster (2014–present)
After the conquest of another double, Panathinaikos announced the recruitment of Duško Ivanović, on 10 June 2014. On the following day, Dimitris Giannakopoulos said at his press conference that a new plan has been created for the future of the club. The team would be totally based on young, Greek players. Also, he said that he wouldn't continue being the president of the club and Manos Papadopoulos would take over president's debts. On 12 June 2014, the plan is put underway, with 5 players leaving the club, including starting center Stephane Lasme and small forward Jonas Mačiulis. During that summer, Panathinaikos secured the signings of some of the most talented young, Greek players, including Lefteris Bochoridis, Michalis Lountzis, Antonis Koniaris and Georgios Papagiannis. Also, Vasillis Charalampopoulos and Georgios Diamantakos, were playing for Panathinaikos since Pedoulakis was the team's head coach.
On 5 April 2015, Panathinaikos beat Apollon Patras on the final of the Greek Cup, with a score of 53-68. Before that, the team had to overcome the obstacles of Olympiacos and PAOK.
On 3 May 2015, after a home loss against Olympiakos, as well as the disqualification from the Euroleague Final Four after the losses from CSKA Moscow with an aggregate score of 3-1, Panathinaikos decided to fire Duško Ivanović. Sotiris Manolopoulos was picked to be the new coach until the end of the league's finals. Finally, the team lost in the finals and decided to hire a new coach for the next season.
On 30 June 2015, Aleksandar Đorđević was announced by the team as its new coach. It was known that the team wanted a coach with strong personality, along with a better roster, so that it can compete for titles again.[7] Panathinaikos was able to sign Greek point guard Nick Calathes, and Serbian center Miroslav Raduljica, showing the fans that the club was eager to compete for more titles.
The debut of the new team was dreamy, as on 8 October 2015, Panathinaikos beat Olympiakos in an away match for the Greek Basketball Cup with a score of 64-70, showing the world and the fans that the team is eager to rise to the top again.
Players
Current roster
| Panathinaikos B.C. roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Depth chart
Retired numbers
| Panathinaikos BC retired numbers | ||||
| N° | Nat. | Player | Position | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |  | Fragiskos Alvertis | SF | 1990-2009 |
Squad Changes for 2015/2016 Season
In
| Date | Position | Name | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 July 2015 | Small Forward |  Aleksandar Pavlović |
 Partizan Belgrade |
| 15 July 2015 | Point Guard | Nick Calathes |
 Memphis Grizzlies |
| 18 July 2015 | Center | Miroslav Raduljica |
Free Agency |
| 27 July 2015 | Center | Ognjen Kuzmić |
Golden State Warriors |
| 19 August 2015 | Shooting Guard |  James Feldeine |
 Vaqueros de Bayamón |
| 29 January 2016 | Point Guard |  MarQuez Haynes |
 Dinamo Basket Sassari |
| 9 February 2016 | Small Forward | Elliot Williams |
Santa Cruz Warriors |
Out
| Date | Position | Name | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | Point guard | DeMarcus Nelson |
 AS Monaco |
| 1 July 2015 | Shooting guard |  Jānis Blūms |
Sidigas Avellino |
| 1 July 2015 | Shooting guard | A.J. Slaughter |
 Banvit |
| 1 July 2015 | Center |  Esteban Batista |
 Chongqing Soaring Dragons |
| 1 July 2015 | Center | Loukas Mavrokefalidis |
AEK Athens |
| 29 July 2015 | Center | Georgios Diamantakos |
Darüşşafaka |
Honours
Domestic competitions
Greek Championship
- Winners (34) (record): 1945-1946, 1946-1947, 1949-1950, 1950-1951, 1953-1954, 1960-1961, 1961-1962, 1966-1967, 1968-1969, 1970-1971, 1971-1972, 1972-1973, 1973-1974, 1974-1975, 1976-1977, 1979-1980, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1983-1984, 1997-1998, 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2012-2013, 2013-2014
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Greek Basketball Cup
- Winners (16) (record): 1978-1979, 1981-1982, 1982-1983, 1985-1986, 1992-1993, 1995-1996, 2002-2003, 2004-2005, 2005–2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008–2009, 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013–2014, 2014-2015
- Double
- Winners (9) (record): 1981-1982, 2002-2003, 2004–2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007–2008, 2008-2009, 2012-2013, 2013–2014
European competitions
Euroleague[8]
- Triple Crown
- Winners (2): 2006-2007, 2008-2009
Worldwide competitions
- Intercontinental Cup
- Winners (1): 1996
Sponsors and Manufacturers
Since 1982 Panathinaikos has a specific kit manufacturer and a kit sponsor. The following tables detail the shirt sponsors and kit suppliers by year:
| Period | Kit supplier | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–1986 | Converse | Motor Oil |
| 1986–1988 | ? | |
| 1988–1989 | Nike | |
| 1989–1992 | None | |
| 1992–1993 | Reebok | Maxwell House |
| 1993–1994 | Adidas | |
| 1994–1996 | Nike | Beck's |
| 1996–1997 | Pony | Dental V6 |
| 1997–1998 | None | |
| 1998–1999 | Nike | |
| 1999–2000 | Bake Rolls | |
| 2000–2008 | Adidas | Nokia Series |
| 2008–2011 | Cosmote | |
| 2011–2014 | Pame Stoixima | |
| 2014–present | Stoiximan.gr |
Current sponsorships
- Great Shirt Sponsor: Stoiximan.gr
- Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: adidas
- Official Sponsor: OTE, Cosmote, Vianex S.A., Salonpas, Avance Rent A Car
- Official Broadcaster: Nova Sports
- Official Supporter: G.Papadogamvros clothes, Direction Business Network, onsports.gr
- Official Health Care Service Provider: Hygeia Medical Center
- Academies Sponsor: Microsoft, Xbox, DPG Media Group, Hellenic Seaways, Honda
Historical uniforms
    1957-59
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 1970-75[10]
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  1992
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  2002
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 2005
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2009
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Arena
Panathinaikos' long-time home court is the Athens Olympic Indoor Hall, which is the largest indoor venue in Greece. It is located in Marousi and is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. The venue was completed in 1995 and renovated for the 2004 Summer Olympics. It is considered to be one of the biggest and most modern indoor sports arenas in all of Europe. The seating capacity is 19.250, however the arena can hold up to a capacity of more than 20.000 including standing room.
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Internal view of the Athens Olympic Indoor Hall
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Flag and banners of Panathinaikos
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Outside view
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The blimp in the arena
Supporters
The team, which is famous for their fans' passionate support, also set a record (broken in 2009) for the highest home game attendance in the history of the Euroleague, which is 20,000 fans,[11] achieved at a home match in OAKA against Benetton Treviso on March 29, 2006, for the second phase of the Euroleague 2005-06.
An attendance of 18,900 fans has also been achieved three times in home matches of the Greens, against Efes Pilsen in 2005 and TAU Cerámica (twice) in 2006. While PAO no longer holds the record for largest Euroleague home crowd, it still holds the honor of being involved in the record match. PAO was the opponent for Partizan Belgrade when it drew 22,567 to Belgrade Arena for a 2009 match.[12] Τhe record was broken again on April 18, 2013 on 4th Euroleague Game (Euroleague 2012-13) against FC Barcelona Bàsquet. It was estimated that the number of viewers reached 30,000 (over 25.000 officially).
"Mr. Green" is the official mascot of Panathinaikos BC. “Born” in 2006, is a muscular basketball player, with a basket ball for a head. He entertains fans of all age groups during game breaks, gives away presents and participates in all entertainment events inside the court.[13]
Seasons
- Scroll down to see more.
International record
| Season | Achievement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euroleague | |||
| 1971–72 | Semi-finals | eliminated by Ignis Varèse, 78–70 (W) in Athens, 55–69 (L) in Varese | |
| 1981–82 | Semi-final group stage | 6th place in a group with Maccabi Elite, Squibb Cantù, Partizan, FC Barcelona and Nashua Den Bosch | |
| 1993-94 | Final four | 3rd place in Tel Aviv, lost to Olympiacos 72–77 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona 100–83 in the 3rd place game | |
| 1994-95 | Final four | 3rd place in Zaragoza, lost to Olympiacos 52–58 in the semi-final, defeated Limoges 91–77 in the 3rd place game | |
| 1995-96 | European Champions | defeated CSKA Moscow 81–71 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona 67–66 in the final of the Final Four in Paris | |
| 1996-97 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 2–0 by Olympiacos, 49–69 (L) in Athens, 57–65 (L) in Piraeus | |
| 1998-99 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 2–0 by Teamsystem Bologna, 58–63 (L) in Athens, 64–88 (L) in Bologna | |
| 1999–00 | European Champions | defeated Efes Pilsen 81-71 in the semi-final, defeated Maccabi Elite 73–67 in the final of the Final Four in Thessaloniki | |
| 2000–01 | Final | defeated Efes Pilsen 74-66 in the semi-final, lost to Maccabi Elite 67-81 in the Final Paris | |
| 2001–02 | European Champions | defeated Maccabi Elite 83-75 in the semi-final, defeated Kinder Bologna 89–83 in the final of the Final Four in Bologna | |
| 2004–05 | Final four | 3rd place in Moscow, lost to Maccabi Elite 82-91 in the semi-final, defeated CSKA Moscow 94-91 in the 3rd place game | |
| 2005–06 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 2-1 by Tau Cerámica, 84–72 (W) in Athens, 79–85 (L) in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 71–74 (L) in Athens | |
| 2006–07 | European Champions | defeated Tau Cerámica 67-53 in the semi-final, defeated CSKA Moscow 93–91 in the final of the Final Four in Athens | |
| 2008–09 | European Champions | defeated Olympiacos 84-82 in the semi-final, defeated CSKA Moscow 73–71 in the final of the Final Four in Berlin | |
| 2010–11 | European Champions | defeated Montepaschi Siena 77-69 in the semi-final, defeated Maccabi Electra 70–78 in the final of the Final Four in Barcelona | |
| 2011–12 | Final four | 4th place in Istanbul, lost to CSKA Moscow 64-66 in the semi-final, lost to FC Barcelona 69-74 in the 3rd place game | |
| 2012–13 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 3-2 by FC Barcelona, 70–72 (L) & 66-65 (W) in Barcelona, 65–63 (W) & 60-70 (L) in Athens and 53–63 (L) in ... | |
| 2013–14 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 3-2 by CSKA Moscow, 74-77 (L) & 51-77 (L) in Moscow, 65-59 (W) & 73-72 (W) in Athens and 44-74 (L) in Moscow | |
| 2014–15 | Quarter-finals | eliminated 3-1 by CSKA Moscow, 66-93 (L) & 80-100 (L) in Moscow, 86-85 (W) & 55-74 (L) in Athens | |
| Saporta Cup | |||
| 1968–69 | Semi-finals | eliminated by Dinamo Tbilisi, 81–67 (W) in Athens, 71–103 (L) in Tbilisi | |
| 1979–80 | Quarter-finals | 3rd place in a group with Gabetti Cantù, Parker Leiden and Caen | |
| 1983–84 | Quarter-finals | 3rd place in a group with Real Madrid, Scavolini Pesaro and Rudá hvězda Pardubice | |
| 1997–98 | Semi-finals | eliminated by Stefanel Milano, 77–58 (W) in Athens, 61–86 (L) in Milan | |
| Intercontinental Cup | |||
| 1996 | Intercontinental Champions | defeated 2–1 Olimpia, 83-89 (L) in Venado Tuerto, 83-78 (W) and 101-76 (W) in Athens | |
The road to the six Euroleague victories
Euroleague 1996
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Euroleague 2000
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Euroleague 2002
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Euroleague 2007
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Euroleague 2009
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Euroleague 2011
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Less significant European successes
Panathinaikos has advanced to the Final Four of the Euroleague (and its predecessor) another five times: Tel Aviv in 1994 (3rd), Zaragoza in 1995 (3rd), Paris in 2001 (2nd), Moscow in 2005 (3rd) and Istanbul in 2012 (4th). Other significant successes are: the two participations in the semifinals of the Cup Winners' Cup (1969, 1998), as well as the road to the semi-finals of the Champions' Cup for the season 1971–72 (eliminated by Ignis Varese (78–70, 55–69). In the 1981–82 season, Panathinaikos participated in the finals of the Champions' Cup of that time, eliminating the teams of CSKA Moscow and Levski-Spartak in that order.
Friendly games against NBA and Chinese teams
Panathinaikos has made two times a tour in the United States for friendly games. In 2003, when they played against the Toronto Raptors,[14] and in 2007. On October 11, 2007, Panathinaikos played against the Houston Rockets,[15] and on October 18, 2007, they played against the NBA champions, San Antonio Spurs.
Panathinaikos has made also two times a tour in China for friendly games. In 2013, when they played against Foshan Long Lions. On September 28, 2015, Panathinaikos played against Zhejiang Lions.
Season-by-season records
Notable players
Listed as Green Legends in Panathinaikos BC site:[16]
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Mentioned by Panathinaikos BC as players who have left their mark in basketball history:[17]
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Notable coaches
- Misas Pantazopoulos (1945–51)
- Nikos Milas (1960–61, 1963–65, 1975–76)
- Kostas Mourouzis (1966–74, 1986–87)
- Richard Dukeshire (1974–75)
- Kostas Politis (1978–82,1993–94)
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Željko Pavličević (1991–1993) - Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou (1994–95)
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Božidar Maljković (1995–1997) -
Slobodan Subotić (1997–1999) - Željko Obradović (1999–2012)
- Argyris Pedoulakis (2012–2014)
- Dusko Ivanovic (2014–2015)
- Aleksandar Đorđević (2015–)
Honours and statistics
Domestic records
| Outline | Record |
|---|---|
| Champions without a loss | 4 times (1945–46, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1953-54) |
| Champions in a row | 9 seasons (2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004–2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007–2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010–2011) |
| Best regular season & playoffs record in A1 GBL | 33-2 (2009–10) |
| Best playoffs record in A1 GBL | 8-0 (2005–06, 2012-13) |
| Greek Cup Winners in a row | 5 seasons (2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09) |
European records
| Outline | Record |
|---|---|
| Most points in a Euroleague match | 123 points (vs Chorale Roanne Basket, 2007–08) |
Top players in games, points and rebounds in the A1 Division (since the 1986–87 season)
Panathinaikos team leaders in games played, points scored, and rebounds, in games played in the Greek A1 Division, since it was first formed, starting with the 1986–87 season.
- * Still active player.
- Last update: 7 October 2015
Rank Player Games 1 Fragiskos Alvertis534 2 Dimitris Diamantidis*365 3 Kostas Tsartsaris347 4 Mike Batiste303 5 Antonis Fotsis*284 6 Nikos Ekonomou268 7 Giorgos Kalaitzis221 8 Nikos Chatzivrettas206 9 Argiris Papapetrou169 Rank Player Points 1 Fragiskos Alvertis4,698 2 Dimitris Diamantidis*3,244 3 Mike Batiste2,970 4 Kostas Tsartsaris2,328 5 Dejan Bodiroga2,285 6 Nikos Ekonomou2,207 7 Antonis Fotsis*2,089 8 Liveris Andritsos2,088 9 Jaka Lakovič1,596 10 Nikos Galis1,586 11 Nikos Chatzivrettas1,519 12 Stojan Vranković1,497 Rank Player Rebounds 1 Stojan Vranković1,851 2 Michael Batiste1,497 3 Fragiskos Alvertis1,400 4 Kostas Tsartsaris1,385 5 Dimitris Diamantidis*1,280 6 Antonis Fotsis*1,239
One-club men
| Player | Nationality | Position | Debut | Last Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fragiskos Alvertis | | Small forward | 1990 | 2009 |
Individual honours
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
- Fragiskos Alvertis
- Dejan Bodiroga
- Nikos Galis
- Panagiotis Giannakis
- Šarūnas Jasikevičius
- Božidar Maljković
- Željko Obradović
- Dino Radja
Euroleague Basketball Legend Award
Euroleague Basketball 2001–10 All-Decade Team
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2007)
- Dejan Bodiroga (2002)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2007)
Euroleague Executive of the Year
- Pavlos Giannakopoulos (2010–11)
- Thanasis Giannakopoulos (2010–11)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2010–11)
- Dominique Wilkins (1995–96)
- Željko Rebrača (1999-00)
- Dejan Bodiroga (2001–02)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2006–07, 2010–11)
- Vassilis Spanoulis (2008–09)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11)
- Stephane Lasme (2012–13)
- Nikos Galis (1993–94)
Euroleague Coach of the Year Award
- Željko Obradović (2006–07, 2010–11)
- Dejan Bodiroga (1998–99)
- Željko Rebrača (1999-00)
- Fragiskos Alvertis (2002–03)
- Jaka Lakovič (2004–05)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2013–14)
- Vassilis Spanoulis (2008–09)
- Mike Batiste (2009–10)
- Stephane Lasme (2012–13)
- Giorgos Kolokithas (1965–66, 1966–67)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2010–11)
- Stephane Lasme (2012–13, 2013–14)
- David Stergakos (1987–88)
- Antonio Davis (1991–92)
- Dino Radja (1997–98)
- Nikos Galis (1992–93, 1993–94)
- Byron Dinkins (1996–97)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2006–07, 2009–10)
- Vassilis Spanoulis (2007–08)
Greek League Most Improved Player
- Nick Calathes (2010–11)
Greek League Coach of the Year
- Željko Obradović (2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11)
- Argyris Pedoulakis (2012–13)
- Dominique Wilkins (1995–96)
- Željko Rebrača (1999–00)
- Fragiskos Alvertis (2002–03)
- Jaka Lakovič (2004–05)
- Kostas Tsartsaris (2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08)
- Dimitris Diamantidis (2008–09)
- Šarūnas Jasikevičius (2011–12)
- Roko Ukić (2012–13)
- Ramel Curry (2013–14)
- Loukas Mavrokefalidis (2014–15)
Management
Ownership & Current Board
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Giannakopoulos family |
| President | Manos Papadopoulos |
| Vice-President | Panagiotis Baltakos |
| CEO | Panagiotis Triantopoulos |
| COO | Ilias Katsogiannis |
| CFO | George Chidiac |
| Legal Advisor | Giorgos Elmalis |
| Media Relations & Communication Manager | Nikolaos Bourlakis |
| Marketing & PR Manager | Maria Gouma |
Medical team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Club's doctor | Athanasios Konidis |
| Club's doctor | Ioannis Giannakopoulos |
| Physiotherapist | Giannis Zygouris |
| Physiotherapist | Nikos Mastrogiannopoulos |
| Caregiver | Paraskevas Dermanis |
Academies staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Academies Director | Fragiskos Alvertis |
| U22 Coach | Kostas Papadopoulos |
| Kids Coach | Vasilis Goumas |
| Juniors Coach | Nikos Kostopoulos |
| General Coach | Kostas Tsartsaris |
| General Coach | Georgios Kalaitzis |
Presidential history
Until 1992 the President of Panathinaikos A.C. was responsible for the management of the team. In 1992 the basketball department became professional with its own President.
| Years | President |
|---|---|
| 1992–2000 | Pavlos Giannakopoulos |
| 2000–2002 | Dimitris Panagoulias |
| 2002–2003 | Giorgos Panagoulias |
| 2003–2012 | Pavlos Giannakopoulos Thanasis Giannakopoulos |
| 2012–2014 | Dimitris Giannakopoulos |
| 2014– | Manos Papadopoulos |
See also
References
- ↑ Ο Βασιλιάς είναι ένας!
- ↑ "Olympic Sports Center Indoor Basketball Arena". oaka.com.gr.
- ↑ sports.in.gr
- ↑ Panathinaikos – Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL, euroleague.net, accessed 4 January 2011.
- ↑ "Greek Cup, Final: February 10, 2013". Euroleague.net. 10 February 2013.
- ↑ "Λύση της συνεργασίας με τον Α. Πεδουλάκη". paobc.gr.
- ↑ "Υπέγραψε ο Τζόρτζεβιτς!". sport-fm.gr.
- ↑ "Euroleague Titles By Team". euroleague.net. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ Το πράσινο αλμανάκ με τις φανέλες του Παναθηναϊκού
- ↑ Το πράσινο αλμανάκ με τις φανέλες του Παναθηναϊκού
- ↑ Fragiskos Alvertis interview 20,000 fans at OAKA for PAO versus Benetton Treviso. (Greek)
- ↑ "Partizan sets crowd record at Belgrade Arena!". Euroleague.net. 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
- ↑ Mr. Green
- ↑ NBA.com Spurs-PAO box score.
- ↑ "NBA.com: Panathinaikos at Rockets Boxscore". nba.com.
- ↑ History • Green Legends, Panathinaikos BC site
- ↑ History • Trophy case, Panathinaikos BC site
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panathinaikos BC. |
- Official website (Greek) (English)
- Panathinaikos B.C. at Euroleague.net
- Panathinaikos B.C. at Eurobasket.com
- Panathinaikos Arena
- Academies official website
Media
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