After three years on the bench of Panathinaikos Erkin Ataman leaves the greens.

The decision was made after his meeting with Dimitris Giannakopoulos and the official announcement from the green OEM followed shortly after through her social media accounts.

Thank you, Ergin! #paobcaktor pic.twitter. com/FDXTWaMicV— Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) June 15, 2026

The Turkish technician came in the summer of 2023 to Greece marking the new Panathinaikos era that after several years he wanted to return to a leading role. ...

And he did it with... hit as in his first season Ataman led Panathinaikos to the 7th star of Euroleague (throwed on Real in the Berlin final), but also in the Greek championship, while in his collection he added two Greek Cups and last year's participation in Abu Dhabi's Final 4.

However, this year the failure to qualify in Final 4 and the loss of the title in the drama series of the finals against Olympiacos brought developments with Ataman leaving the bench of PAO.

At the end of the video there is also the "goodbye" with thanks from the Turkish technician who says:

"Thank you, Mr. Yanakopoulos. I had a great time in Athens, in this wonderful country and I am proud to work with Panathinaikos and the family Giannakopoulos. And of course I am proud to have given these three years these four cups and especially that of Euroleague.

All my life I will remember these days, the amazing fans, the amazing support of Panathinaikos' family to all of us.

I am also proud of the effort to contribute to the relationship between the two countries, Turkey and Greece. And I am very pleased for all the friends I have here in Greece.

Not only Panathinaikos fans, but many other fans, many people."

Mr Giannakopoulos stressed:

Thank you for your kind words. .. What can I say? I've said that before. It was a dream to work with Erkin. He was, is and will always be my favorite man in European basketball. This will never change

I had a dream. When my father and uncle left, I wanted to bring a European title. We were in 17th place, penultimate in the Euroleague.

I was sitting in Sounio thinking how, how to bring Erkin to Panathinaikos.

In the first year I invited him and thank him very much for coming to the tournament "Paul Giannakopoulos". The second year again. After all this a little "blah, blah, blah", some food, straw and drawer, I convinced the best coach to come to Panathinaikos!

He proved that, took us from 17th place and took us to the top of Europe in a year. For the rest of the years we were fighting, because we are both fighters, fighting the "system". I'm very proud of these four titles. I believe that if we did not have this "war" against us, these titles would be more. But we're young, to be healthy, and you never know what the future will bring us.

Erkin thank you very much!".

Contacts with Obradovic

With Ataman leaving the big question is who will succeed him on the green bench.

The information, which has not been confirmed by both sides, wants Zeljko Obradovic to be closer than ever on his return, with the Serbian technician having resigned from Partizan (after the defeat he had experienced from Panathinaikos in Athens).

Zotch continues (13 years after his departure) to be worshiped as God by PAO fans and may be the person who with his arrival can make everyone forget this year's failure and give a vision for the new season.