Greek basketball giants Panathinaikos and Olympiacos have reportedly expressed strong interest in signing Sacramento Kings Star Sasha Vezenkov who intends to leave the franchise.
Either he was transferred to another NBA team or he negotiated a contract termination that would make him a free agent or he returned to Europe. In principle, the forward’s goal was to continue in the best league in the world, but there are still no clear offers from any other NBA team.
His agent Nikos Lotsos in an interview with Greek sport daily Fos ton sport reveals that he picked up the phone from the two Greek giants. Both clubs have maintained direct contact with Vezenkov since he left for the NBA.
The representative has made it clear in every conversation that the priority of the player with Cypriot, Greek and Bulgarian nationality is to remain on the other side of the pond. And that, if he returned, he would give priority to his last club in Europe, Olympiacos. Ergin Ataman, coach of the Euroleague champion Panathinaikos, has admitted the contacts although he emphasizes the lack of a firm offer.
Sasha Vezenkov from Greece and Spain to the Sacramento Kings
Vezenkov was born in Nicosia to Bulgarian parents and was raised in Cyprus and Greece. He was considered to be one of the best youth players in Europe in his age group, and began playing youth club basketball in Cyprus in 2005 with APOEL Nicosia’s youth teams.
In 2009, at the age of 14, he moved to Greece and began playing youth club basketball with Aris’ youth teams, until 2011, when he joined Aris’ senior men’s club, the club where Greek icon Nick Galis once graced.
On 31 July 2015, Vezenkov signed a four-year deal (with the 4th year being optional) worth €2 million net income, with the Spanish ACB League club FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona also paid a €315,000 buyout fee to Vezenkov’s former club, Aris. Vezenkov’s contract with FC Barcelona also included a buyout option for the NBA, set at the amount of €1 million euros.
On 12 July 2018, Vezenkov signed a two-year deal with Olympiacos. On 20 February 2022, he recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds in the Greek Cup Final against arch-rivals Panathinaikos, helping the club win its first title after 6 years. He was also named Euroleague February MVP, playing an important role in Olympiacos finishing 2nd in the Euroleague Regular Season with a 19–9 record, the club’s best ever finish.
In the 2022–23 EuroLeague season, Vezenkov was chosen as the EuroLeague MVP and won the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy, which made him only the second player to win both accolades in the same season, after Nando de Colo in 2016.
In 40 EuroLeague games, he averaged 17.6 points, playing around 29 minutes per contest.
On 18 July 2023, Vezenkov signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Sacramento Kings.
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