While this is no news at this point, Ataman spoke about the next chapter of his career after winning one more championship title in Turkey with Efes.

As he stated: “All my life, I’ve been challenged. Panathinaikos is also a new challenge for me. I will try to represent my country in the best way in Greece. Anadolu Efes is my basketball home and I wish them success for the upcoming season. We wrote a great story for five years. We started the season trying to shoot for a third EuroLeague title but it didn’t work, it ended with a drama. We failed. For the first time, we failed Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague. But everything is over now in Efes, Ergin Ataman is already leaving, when it is said that this team will not finish the season, and moreover Fenerbahçe will prevail. After the 42-point defeat by them, we resurrected and remembered our character. We put our heart, strength, and character on the court. Our character never gives up”.

Speaking about the Turkish league finals, Ataman added: “First of all, I have to congratulate Karsıyaka, they fought very well. They showed how good a team they are by coming to the finals. There was a heavy atmosphere and it is very meaningful to win the third match and become the champion here, on the road. We remembered that we were a team again in the playoffs, and our injuries got better. Two competitions were played in Turkey this season. The Cup is already in our museum and now the Basketball Super League championship will be in our museum at the end of the season. I am proud of that”.

Of course, Ataman admitted that the main goal was a historic EuroLeague three-peat: “I am sorry for the EuroLeague. We had a dream, so we set out to do something that no one else could do, but we failed, we couldn’t make the playoffs. If we could make the playoffs, a lot could have happened there too, but it didn’t happen. It’s not easy for me. After all these years, I worked at Anadolu Efes not like a professional, but like an amateur. I will be happy if I can be called the legend of Anadolu Efes in the future.  We were all demoralized from not reaching our goal in the EuroLeague. It’s a fact, but it’s a sport, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. In my 5-year Anadolu Efes adventure, there were three EuroLeague finals, two of which have been won. It was a dominant EuroLeague period. This is my third Turkish league championship with Efes. There are also Presidential and Turkish Cup championships. I am at peace now”.

On a personal note, Ataman added: “A change was needed. We decided on this together with our president. I think it will be good for both parties. We’ll go our ways, maybe we’ll come back to each other one day. Maybe we’ll come back with a trophy. In Turkey, we have a mission with the national team. It will be the Olympic Qualifiers. I am here, we are all together. I’m going alone, but Sarp (ed.note: his son) will continue to represent me here. Sarp does not come to Athens by saying that he will be in the stands of Efes as a fan”. 

Source: Eurohoops

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The club has won six EuroLeague Championships and several dozen Greek League titles.

Antetokounmpo’s oldest brother, Thanasis, played for the club from 2017-19.

Kostas Antetokounmpo, 25, played for Fenerbahçe in Turkey last season after a brief stint with Chicago’s G League affiliate.

After helping Dominican win a state championship, Antetokounmpo spent two years at the University of Dayton before being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

Immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, Antetokounmpo spent a season there before playing two years for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was part of the 2020 championship team.

He first played in Europe in 2021-22, for ASVEL in France.

The 6-foot, 10-inch forward will represent Greece with older brothers Thanasis and Giannis in World Cup play this summer.

Source: jsonline

The post Kostas Antetokounmpo signs two-year contract with Greek basketball team Panathinaikos appeared first on Ankara Haftalik.