Olympiacos had a “tragic” ending to their season in the EuroLeague last year, narrowly missing out on the title. Now, they face a period of uncertainty as they’ve undergone changes during the summer.
Olympiacos had two excellent seasons in recent years in the EuroLeague, reaching the semifinals and then the finals. However, they suffered unfortunate losses in both instances. Vasilije Micic played a key role in their defeat in 2022, and Sergio Llull’s shot was fatal in the final four months ago.
The summer brought turbulence for the team as they lost their top two stars. Sasha Vezenkov moved to the Sacramento Kings, and Kostas Sloukas joined Panathinaikos. While Olympiacos has brought in some intriguing players, the question remains whether they can replicate the success of the past two seasons without their former stars.
There are many uncertainties around Olympiacos
Olympiacos faces a season filled with many uncertainties. Georgios Bartzokas has been named the EuroLeague’s best coach for two consecutive years, and rightfully so. Despite not having one of the top five budgets in European basketball, they were just one basket away from the title in May. The concept of “team basketball” is perhaps best exemplified by Olympiacos when compared to all the other EuroLeague teams. Their ball movement on offense is excellent, and they always seek the best-positioned player, while it’s nearly impossible to find a poor defender in their roster.
However, significant changes have been made to their roster. MVP Sasha Vezenkov is no longer with the team, and replacing his scoring, playmaking, and creativity will be a considerable challenge. Olympiacos took a gamble by signing Luke Sikma to fill his role, but Sikma’s qualities may not match what Vezenkov brought to the team in the last three seasons. Kostas Sloukas is also gone, his “quiet conflict” with Bartzokas resulting in him taking a “Spanoulis-like” exit in the opposite direction. It’s hard to describe the level of animosity that will flow from the stands of the “Peace and Friendship Arena” when Sloukas steps on the court for the opposing team.
How will Olympiacos’ offense look without Sloukas and Vezenkov, their two most productive players? Only time will tell. Nigel Williams-Goss, Ignas Bradezikis and Nikola Milutinov have signed and they will be key players along with Thomas Walkup, Kostas Papanikolau, Shaq McKissic and Moustapha Fall. Giannoulis Larentzakis is also returning after an excellent World Cup for Greece.
In terms of individual offensive quality, Olympiacos lags far behind teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Monaco. Their strategy to contend will likely rely on a great defense and the positive aspects of their offensive game from previous seasons. The outcome could be another trip to the Final Four, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Olympiacos doesn’t even make the playoffs. In the end, Sikma isn’t Vezenkov, and Williams-Goss doesn’t possess Sloukas’ magic and virtuosity.
EuroLeague Preview – Olympiacos: Roster for upcomming season
Isaiah Cannan/183cm/ – USA
Nigel Williams-Goss /191cm/ – USA
Thomas Walkup /193cm/ – GRE
Veniamin Abosi /193cm/ – GRE
Michalis Lountzis /195cm/ – GRE
George Pappas /196cm/ – GRE
Giannoulis Larentzakis /196cm/ – GRE
Shaquielle McKissic /196cm/ – USA
Ignas Brazdeikis /201cm/ – LIT
Luke Sikma /203cm/ – USA
Kostas Papanikolaou /204cm/ – GRE
Panagiotis Tsamis /204cm/ – GRE
Alec Peters /206cm/ – USA
Georgios Tanoulis /210cm/ – GRE
Nikola Milutinov /213cm/ – SRB
Moustapha Fall /218cm/ – FRA
Departures: Kostas Sloukas, Sasha Vezenkov, Tarik Black, Joel Bolomboy
Arrivals: Luke Sikma, Nikola Milutinov, Nigel Williams-Goss, Ignas Brazdeikis, George Tanoulis
EuroLeague Preview – Olympiacos: The biggest success in the competition
The Greek basketball began its ascent during the 1990s when significant investments were made. Olympiacos suffered two consecutive defeats in the EuroLeague finals in 1994 and 1995. Two years later, they clinched their first title. Led by the legendary Dusan “Duda” Ivkovic, they outplayed Barcelona in the final by 73:58.
In the next final the club contested, Barcelona served up “revenge.” This occurred in 2010. Afterward, coach Ivkovic returned, and in 2012, he brought a second championship title to Olympiacos. Over the next five years, the red and white team reached three more finals. They were successful in only one of them in 2013 when they won the title with coach Bartzokas. They played their most recent final last season, but they were defeated by Real Madrid.
Few words about the head coach – Georgios Bartzokas
Georgios Bartzokas began his coaching career as an assistant at Maroussi in 2003. Three years later, he took on the role of a head coach for the first time when Larissa gave him a chance. He also coached independently at Maroussi and Panionios before Olympiacos gave him an opportunity in 2012. He justified their trust and a year later, he secured the most recent club title in the EuroLeague.
After some less favorable results in 2014, he decided to leave the team. His next destination was Lokomotiv Kuban. The Russian club reached the EuroLeague Final Four in the 2015/16 season under his guidance, which led to his appointment by Barcelona. However, the collaboration between the two parties didn’t work out, and the Greek coach left after just one season. He then worked at Khimki, guiding them to the EuroLeague playoffs.
After his time in Russia, he returned home. Bartzokas once again took over Olympiacos, but this time, the club was in a much tougher situation, on a downward trajectory. Bartzokas didn’t shy away from hard work, and through diligence and effort, he lifted the club to where it belongs. In the last two seasons, he has been the best coach in the EuroLeague, and he is arguably the greatest strength of the Greek champions.
EuroLeague Preview – Olympiacos: Expectations
Olympiacos has had two phenomenal seasons behind them. Their form has been excellent, and the results outstanding. However, a question arises: Was all of this realistic? When you look at the quality of their roster, it’s quite evident that the red and white team has exceeded expectations in the last two years. Of course, the main credit for this goes to Bartzokas, who is the “architect” of the current team.
Even when the roster remains the same, it often happens in sports that after a few “highs,” there comes a “low.” In Olympiacos’ case, that would mean not making it to the playoffs. Such a result would be a failure, but not a surprise. It’s challenging to replace maestros like Sloukas and Vezenkov. Realistically, Williams-Goss and Sikma don’t possess that same quality, no matter how good they are.
There is a lot of hope placed in Nikola Milutinov, rightfully so. When he’s healthy, he may be the best center in the EuroLeague, but unfortunately, in recent years, he has had too many setbacks with injuries and breaks due to them.
Because of all the factors mentioned, it’s difficult to predict how far Olympiacos can go. Making the playoffs is realistic, but it’s not a surprise if they miss out. On the other hand, it will be tough for them to finish among the top four teams again.