By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos shared a video on his Instagram page, announcing the acquisition of Cedi Osman by the Athens club.
With this addition, Panathinaikos further strengthens its already successful roster by acquiring the Turkish international guard/forward, who is returning to Europe for the first time since 2017, when he decided to move to the USA to play in the NBA, where he played until the 2023-24 season.
According to Eurohoops sources, the Turkish international was in advanced talks with Real Madrid but he ultimately didn’t find an agreement with the Spanish powerhouse. He also received interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, which invited him for a training camp; however, due to the lack of guarantees about making it to the season roster, he decided to refuse and come back to Europe.
Osman started his career with Anadolu Efes in 2011, and six years later, he moved to the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last season, he donned the jersey of the San Antonio Spurs, playing alongside Victor Wembanyama on Gregg Popovich’s team.
He recorded 476 regular season appearances during his seven years in the NBA, averaging 9.3 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images