Sylvain Francisco said his transfer to Panathinaikos came together remarkably quickly, with the entire move completed in just a few hours.
The French guard had initially signed with ASVEL after a standout season with Zalgiris Kaunas, but ultimately ended up joining Panathinaikos to strengthen the Greek club’s roster.
“It feels amazing. I’m quite happy to be here and to return to Greece, but also to be at one of the biggest teams in Europe. I just can’t wait to meet the guys and everyone,” Francisco said.
Francisco explained that negotiations accelerated shortly after he returned from Mykonos.
“I was in Mykonos, so as soon as I landed, things were going left and right. Everything happened in a couple of hours, in a day,” he said. “I’m just glad we made it happen with my agent and that I went where I wanted to go. The Panathinaikos staff did a good job at the same time, so it went so fast. The transfer and the transition were super fast. Here I am now, so that’s good.”
The 28-year-old joins Panathinaikos after finishing second in EuroLeague MVP voting last season, averaging 16.7 points, 6.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds for Zalgiris.
Francisco also credited his French national teammates Guerschon Yabusele, Mathias Lessort and Moustapha Fall for influencing his decision.
“Those guys were super important for me. I was talking to them mostly, and we already have chemistry, especially with the national team,” Francisco said. “To have this at a club is huge. For me, it’s going to be a lot of fun, but we’re also going to be serious about taking care of business. That’s the most important thing.”
He also expressed excitement about working with legendary head coach Zeljko Obradovic.
“I just can’t wait. I know he’s a legend, a legendary coach, definitely. For me to be by his side and learn more from him is going to be good. I just can’t wait, to be honest.”
Sylvain Francisco on Panathinaikos move: “I went where I wanted to go”https://t.co/pmRTK8WACF
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) July 31, 2026
