By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With a deal in place for a two-year contract, Ergin Ataman was welcomed by Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos via social media Sunday.
Ataman, 57, is set to take over head-coaching responsibilities at the Greens, as reported by Eurohoops. Leaving Anadolu Efes at the end of the 2022-23 season, he will focus on his new team heading to the 2023-24 season.
The experienced tactician guided the Istanbul outfit to back-to-back Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championships before missing the cut for the Playoffs this season. Moving forward, he will be the first Turkish head coach on a Greek team and wishes to emerge as the new Zeljko Obradovic of Panathinaikos, he previewed through a recent interview.
Wrapping up the successful and history-making spell at Efes, Ataman will guide his side to the end of Turkey’s BSL. The current 18-8 W-L tally ranks third overall, three games behind Fenerbahce Beko and four games behind leading Turk Telekom. Four games are left on the double-legged round-robin schedule of the Regular Season, before the Playoffs to decide the domestic league’s champion.
Beyond the club level and numerous accolades, Ataman serves as the coach of Turkey’s senior national team since last April, through the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and missing out on a ticket to this summer’s tournament in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Turkey will instead battle in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments to be held in August with five tickets available for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net