Isaac Bonga has arrived in Athens ahead of his expected Panathinaikos announcement, and the former Partizan forward has already made one thing clear — he came to compete for the EuroLeague title.
Upon landing in Greece, the former Partizan forward spoke to reporters and put an end to any speculation regarding his next destination.
He was also asked what convinced him to choose Panathinaikos.
“There were many reasons behind my decision. I wanted to make the best possible choice for myself. I had plenty of options, but what made the difference was Panathinaikos’ history – a club that is consistently competing at the EuroLeague Final Four. That was my choice. There was strong competition for my signature, and although it seemed like a difficult decision, in the end, it was actually an easy one.”
☘️ Οι πρώτες δηλώσεις του Ίζακ Μπόνγκα στην άφιξή του στην Αθήνα για λογαριασμό του Παναθηναϊκού#paobc pic.twitter.com/LV9k72zCpR
— gazzetta.gr (@gazzetta_gr) July 7, 2026
Bonga also emphasized that Panathinaikos’ incredible fan support played a major role in his decision.
“Obviously, everyone who plays in the EuroLeague knows about the Greek fans, especially the Panathinaikos supporters. I wanted to be part of that atmosphere. I’ve already played in front of incredible crowds, and now I’m joining a similar environment, which is something I’m really excited about.”
He then spoke about reuniting with Panathinaikos’ new head coach, Zeljko Obradovic, whom he previously worked with at Partizan.
“I know what to expect. Coach knows me well. I believe I’m an even better player now and ready for the next step in my career. Winning games is important, but winning titles is even more important. We have a coach who will bring all of his incredible experience to the team. His career and achievements speak for themselves. During my time at Partizan, he taught me some incredibly valuable details of the game. It’s a great opportunity to work with him again,” the German forward said.
Bonga added that his experience with Partizan has already prepared him for the intensity of major rivalries, meaning games against Olympiacos will not be anything new for him.
“As I said, I’m coming from Partizan. I know exactly what eternal derbies are, what they mean to a city, and how much history they carry. Now, at Panathinaikos, I’m stepping into a very similar rivalry with Olympiacos. Those games are going to be incredible spectacles.”
Finally, Bonga made it perfectly clear what his goal is with his new club.
“That’s an easy question – I want to win the EuroLeague.”
So far, Panathinaikos has officially announced only the signing of Moustapha Fall from Olympiacos. However, in addition to Bonga, Brancou Badio is also expected to become the club’s newest signing in the near future after arriving from Valencia.
The team had already parted ways with T.J. Shorts, Marius Grigonis, Kenneth Faried, and Alexandros Samodurov, while the only officially confirmed arrival so far is Moustapha Fall, who is joining from Panathinaikos’ biggest rival, Olympiacos. You can see all Panathinaikos moves on EuroLeague Transactions.
