Βy Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Sasha Vezenkov has recently said to Eurohoops that he feels right at home in Olympiacos and the two sides have signed an extension deal that will keep the player in Piraeus until 2024, as the club has officially announced.
The two sides have started talks since February and are finally they have agreed on key points. Per Eurohoops sources, the NBA buy-out, which is included both in the summer of 2022 and 2023, was the last clause in the new contract that was finalized.
“I am very happy to continue to be a member of the Olympiacos family”, Vezenkov stated per the official press release. “I want to thank the presidents, the team, the coaches, and my teammates for their support so far. I hope that the future, with a lot of hard work, will be better. I do not want to say big words, but I believe that. I also want to thank my family and my close environment that supported me and supports me in the happy, but especially in the difficult moments. And of course, I thank the fans of Olympiacos for their support both on a personal level and on the team. Last year, due to the pandemic, our fans could not be near us, but we are now waiting for them at the stadium, starting from the first official game on October 1. We need them to be by our side, to help us as they always do”.
Vezenkov, 26, logged 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per EuroLeague contest last season. A healthy boost compared to his 7.1 points per 2019-20 game. He was limited to 3.8 points per game in his first season back in Greece and 3.5 points per game in his last season at FC Barcelona.
It’s obvious that Vezenkov is considered by Olympiacos the heir of Giorgos Printezis and a key piece in their current core.
Vezenkov was selected with the 57th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets. On 14 January 2021, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired his draft rights from the Nets, in a multi-team trade involving James Harden.