By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The news of Giannis Ioannidis’ death moved the world of basketball, starting from his former teams Aris and Olympiacos, his former player and current Suns commentator Eddie Johnson, and of course the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board.
Olympiacos will play on Friday’s EuroLeague opener against Panathinaikos wearing a black ribbon on their jerseys, while the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board issued the following press releases which include the statements of president Dimitris Itoudis and vice-president Ioannis Sfairopoulos: “The EuroLeague Head Coaches Board expresses its condolences to the family of coach Giannis Ioannidis who passed away today.
A legendary figure who influenced the sport in his own, unique way, and created a path for other coaches to follow our profession full of passion for basketball and coaching. His legacy still motivates the basketball community and will be remembered by all.
He shaped the landscape of modern Greek basketball and of the European basketball scene, leaving a big footprint on the bench. He will always be an inspiration”.
Coach Itoudis made the following statement: “My deepest condolences to the family of the late Giannis Ioannidis. May you rest in peace. The legacy he leaves behind in basketball will be indelible in time, as will his coaching influence on generations of coaches to come. Goodbye, coach, goodbye, ‘Blond’.”
Coach Sfairopoulos added: “A legend of Greek Basketball, a fighter of the European courts, a great teacher, left us. I had the luck and the honor to serve alongside him in the National team. Heartfelt condolences to his family. Rest in peace coach…”
The EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, President @ItoudisD and Vice-President @GSfairopoulos join in the mourning for coach Giannis Ioannidis. pic.twitter.com/B3grdvqvIl
— EuroLeague Head Coaches Board – EHCB (@HeadCoachesOrg) October 4, 2023
Aris BC started the BKT EuroCup game against Gran Canaria with a moment of silence, while his former player in Olympiacos Eddie Johnson shared his personal experience from the coach: “I left the NBA in 1994-95 to work on my Mental health. The strain of B-Ball, getting older, and being perceived differently was taking a toll. This man rejuvenated me and allowed me to feel relevant by giving me the green light to be me again on the court. RIP Coach”.
I left the NBA in 1994-95 to work on my Mental health. The strain of B-Ball, getting older and being perceived differently was taking a toll. This man rejuvenated me and allowed me to feel relevant by giving me a green light to be me again on the court. RIP Coach🙏🏿@Olympiacos_BC https://t.co/eb0cPpmJF8
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) October 4, 2023
Another former player and current assistant coach in Armani Milan, Milan Tomic, added: “The news of the death of Giannis Ioannidis filled me with sadness. He was the person who first believed in me and played a huge role in my career. I will always remember him fondly. Condolences to his family”.
Η είδηση του θανάτου του Γιάννη Ιωαννίδη με γέμισε θλίψη. Ήταν ο άνθρωπος που με πίστεψε πρώτος και έπαιξε τεράστιο ρόλο στην καριέρα μου. Θα τον θυμάμαι πάντα με αγάπη. Συλλυπητήρια στην οικογένεια του.
— Milan Tomic (@tomicmilan31) October 4, 2023
Greek Hall-of-Famer Nick Galis who played for Ioannidis wearing the jersey of Aris stated the following: “Giannis is gone… A great basketball teacher, a successful professional, a winner. We lived together incredible moments of joy but also some lesser moments of sadness. I feel like a person of mine, a member of my extended family, is gone”.
Έφυγε ο Γιάννης… Ένας σπουδαίος δάσκαλος για το μπάσκετ, ένας πετυχημένος επαγγελματίας, ένας Νικητής.
Ζήσαμε μαζί απίστευτες στιγμές χαράς αλλά και κάποιες λιγότερες στιγμές λύπης. Νιώθω ότι έφυγε ένας δικός μου άνθρωπος, ένα μέλος της ευρύτερης οικογένειάς μου. pic.twitter.com/m5P28UrkZ0— Nick Galis (@NickGalis6) October 4, 2023
Last but not least, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis paid his tribute: “Coach Ioannidis was a leader who could inspire the biggest basketball stars to work alongside each other for the benefit of the team. He broke win records with different clubs and different styles of basketball, in a career spanning more than 20 years. His strong personality and commitment to basketball were such, that it is impossible to refer to the history of the European Final Fours without including him, even if he did not win one. Above all, he proved that Greece was able to produce world-level coaches and prepared the ground for many to follow his example.”