Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos has again made clear that he would like to bring Nikola Jokic to Athens, while also discussing Zeljko Obradovic and revealing that he once considered investing in Partizan.
Giannakopoulos explained that his interest in the NBA largely disappeared after Michael Jordan retired, but Jokic eventually gave him a reason to follow the league again.
“For me, I stopped watching the NBA the day that Jordan stopped bouncing the ball. I started watching a bit of the NBA again when Jokic went there,” he said, addressing the situation.
Giannakopoulos considers the Serbian superstar one of basketball’s greatest players and intends to explore any possibility of eventually bringing him to Panathinaikos. However, he believes obstacles could extend beyond negotiations with an NBA franchise.
“I believe he’s top ten players of all time. I would love to see him in a Panathinaikos jersey, and I’m going to do whatever I can to try and do it. The politics are difficult. I don’t think it’s a matter of teams. I think it’s a matter of the NBA maybe not allowing such a huge star to come here,” added Greek businessman.
Giannakopoulos also discussed Zeljko Obradovic’s return to Panathinaikos after 14 years, describing the reunion as something he always expected would eventually happen.
“I knew inside me that one day this would happen. It’s fate,” he stressed. “I am very happy that it happened this year. Hopefully, we will have successful results. But as I said in the press conference as well, for me, this season is already a success.
“History has shown it’s not only how you assemble the team. There are many things that play roles in winning at the end of the season. To have good health. To be lucky sometimes.
“Yes, coach Zeljko always gives you a competitive advantage. Having a good team gives you a competitive advantage. Now, I would not like to make a prediction, but I think Panathinaikos is going to be one of the contenders.”
Asked about Serbian players who have represented Panathinaikos, Giannakopoulos expanded the discussion to the former Yugoslavia and immediately selected Stojan Vrankovic.
“It has to be Serbian? Can’t it be ex-Yugoslavia? Stojan Vrankovic! He is forever, forever, and forever in my heart!”
Among players connected with both Panathinaikos and Partizan, Giannakopoulos singled out Dejan Tomasevic, particularly appreciating his approach to the game.
“Tomasevic. He played with his mind. And I respect players who use their minds more than their physical abilities.”
Giannakopoulos then revealed that his relationship with Serbian basketball could once have become significantly deeper. Around 10 to 15 years ago, when Partizan was experiencing serious financial problems, he considered investing in the club.
“I remember there was a time when Partizan had huge financial difficulties. This was about 10-15 years ago. There were some discussions,” he recalled. “It was a thought. But why didn’t it go through? Because I understood you can’t only get the basketball. You have to take the swimming, the polo, and the entire club. And then it was totally different.”
