Josh Childress revisited his groundbreaking 2008 move to Olympiacos on The Fullcourt Passport podcast with Ric Bucher and Boki Nachbar, addressing what he called a “longstanding misconception” about leaving the Atlanta Hawks for Greece.
Childress said contrary to popular belief, he never turned down a deal from Atlanta. “I did not turn down a deal from Atlanta because I never got the deal from Atlanta,” he said, adding that the Hawks’ front-office transition left him in limbo as a restricted free agent.
At the time, former general manager Billy Knight, who drafted Childress in 2004, was replaced by Rick Sund. “Billy told me, ‘Stay healthy, keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll make sure you’re taken care of,’” Childress recalled. “Then Rick came in and put me on the back burner.”
Childress said he explored sign-and-trade opportunities with the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs that summer, meeting with Gregg Popovich in Las Vegas. “Pop said, ‘This is the deal we have for you. Hopefully we can make something happen,’” Childress said. “But Atlanta wasn’t entertaining any of it.”
With NBA options dwindling, Olympiacos presented an alternative. “I had to make a business decision for Josh Childress,” he said. “That led to me taking a trip to Athens, getting the lay of the land, seeing Athens in the summer—and that made it all happen.”
Childress’ decision drew heavy media attention, marking one of the first times an NBA player in his prime signed overseas for a major contract. “The media coverage was unlike anything I’d ever experienced,” he said. “It let me know I was doing something unique.”
Arriving in Greece, he was immediately struck by the passion of the fans. “As I got off the plane in Athens, it was full of people,” he said. “Nobody was ever waiting for me at the airport before. That let me know what kind of place I was in.”
Childress said living in Athens was both exciting and overwhelming. “Everywhere you go, it’s basketball, basketball, basketball,” he said. “I had to learn where I could go that was a little more quiet.”
He also spoke about the transition to European basketball. “The first year was tough,” he admitted. “The game was more physical, the rules were different, and I had to adjust to not being the guy expected to score 20 points every night.”
Looking back, Childress said he takes pride in how his decision influenced future players. “It means more to me than you can imagine when guys like Kyle Hines tell me I inspired them,” he said. “Basketball is a global game. The NBA is the pinnacle, but there are viable options outside of it.”
