In the last few years, we’ve seen plenty of role players going to Europe for more playing time. But we’ve rarely seen one of the top players in the NBA go to the EuroLeague. Nikola Jokic, widely regarded as the best player in the league over the past few years with three MVPs and an NBA title under his belt, has occasionally been linked to a potential return to Europe—and if that ever happens, Panathinaikos would surely welcome him with open arms.
European Powerhouse Dreams of Signing Nikola Jokic
Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the president of Panathinaikos, recently revealed that his next big fish will be Nikola Jokic. On his social media, he posted that Kendrick Nunn and Cedi Osman have signed extensions with the team. In the same story, he mentioned his dream signing, saying,
“Kendrick Nunn, check, Cedi Osman, check, everybody else, check, check-check, we’ve said it before. Hey, what day will Nikola Jokic come?”
This is not the first time that Dimitris has raved about signing the Joker. He recently made Nunn the highest-paid player in the EuroLeague, with a salary of $4.5 million per season. Of course, money is not an issue for the Joker. He has earned hundreds of millions in the NBA. The biggest lure for him would be playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Nikola Jokic’s Love for Panathinaikos
This is not the first time that Panathinaikos has shown interest in signing the three-time MVP. Last year, in October, team president Dimitris Giannakopoulos expressed his admiration for the Joker, saying he began following the league again because of the Nuggets superstar. Jokic, hearing the comments, replied,
“Thank you, it’s amazing,” Jokic replied. I try to follow the EuroLeague as much as possible, and, of course, they won the EuroLeague last year, so congrats on that. He’s somebody who’s kind of putting media to the EuroLeague. I think he’s doing a good job to make EuroLeague bigger.”
Jokic’s connection with the EuroLeague is key as they are trying to grow the league as a much as possible. While elite international players in the NBA certainly helps but having these players openly voice their support for the league is even more important.
The Joker Can Top Dominique Wilkins
Jokic will not be the first Hall of Fame player arriving in Greece. While current Panathinaikos owner points Kendrick Nunn and Cedi Osman as huge achievements, we can go back to the 1990s for the biggest star in the Greek club’s history.
In August 1995, Pavlos and Thanasis Giannakopoulos, presidents of the club, wanted the best player worldwide right now. They managed to get Dominique Wilkins, a Hall of Fame player. He was 36 years old at the time. When he arrived in Athens, Nique was greeted by 5,000 fans, and 13,000 more showed up to his first practice session. Panathinaikos provided a four-story accommodation, a maid, and two cars, and paid Greek taxes for him.
Wilkins delivered an amazing year, averaging 20.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists during the 1995-96 EuroLeague. He helped the team win the title, delivering 35 points, two assists and eight rebounds in the Semifinal, and then 16 points and 10 rebounds against Barcelona in the Final. He earned the Final Four MVP award.
Is Joker to Panathinaikos a Realistic Dream?
You never say never, but Jokic is still too young to leave the NBA. If, one day, he decides to leave the NBA and play in a league with fewer games, there is always a chance.
Jokic is signed through the 2026-27 season, with a player option for 2027-28. This year, he will be eligible to sign an extension after June 30th. With his current contract, Jokic will be 32 years old when his player option ends. He can add a few more years with another extension this summer. For comparison, Wilkins was 36 when he joined Panathinaikos.
Photo credit: © Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
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