By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The head coach of Panathinaikos Aktor, Ergin Ataman addressed the fine issued by Euroleague Basketball and connected the sanction with a message to the fanbase of the Greens.
“If somebody thinks to stop us with unusual penalties, they must know this will only motivate me and my players more,” he wrote in a post on his account on Instagram, “THANK YOU! Panathinaikos fans book your tickets for Abu Dhabi and get ready for the 8th star.”
Besides a fine of 8,000 euros issued on Ataman, Euroleague Basketball announced a one-game suspension and a fine of 5,000 euros against Kendrick Nunn on Tuesday. The reaction on social media followed on Wednesday.
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Using a right to appeal, Panathinaikos hopes to make Nunn eligible to play in Round 15 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Potentially serving the suspension would force the Greens to miss their leading player against Anadolu Efes in Istanbul’s Basketball Development Center on Friday night.
Squaring off with his former team, Ataman, a three-time EuroLeague champion between Panathinaikos and Efes, will not have Marius Grigonis (back surgery) and Kostas Antetokounmpo (knee). The remaining members of the squad are healthy.
After 14 out of the 34 fixtures in the double-legged round-robin schedule leading to the postseason of Europe’s premier club continental competition, the defending champions are tied with three other teams at 8-6, at the bottom end of the top six seeds leading directly to the Playoffs. They trail leader Paris by three games.