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Panathinaikos owner attempts to lure Nikola Jokic to Greece
Dimitrios Giannakopoulos, owner of Panathinaikos AKTOR, has revealed in a series of interviews on the ‘Euro Insiders’ podcast that he attempted to lure NBA superstar Nikola Jokic to Greece. Giannakopoulos stated he made a formal proposal to both the Denver Nuggets and Jokic to buy out the final year of the Serbian center's contract, but the offer was rejected. He noted that the Nuggets' response was immediate and dismissive, but he expressed intent to try again next year when Jokic may have more flexibility.
During the same interviews, Giannakopoulos shared personal reflections, including a discussion about his health following multiple heart attacks in 2020 and his desire to step back from active management within five years to become a regular fan. He also addressed his relationship with former coach Ergin Ataman, describing him as a great professional, and discussed his views on the club's management and historical figures like Zeljko Obradovic and Dejan Bodiroga.
Entities
Denver Nuggets · Dimitrios Giannakopoulos · Dimitris Giannakopoulos · Ergin Ataman · EuroInsiders · EuroLeague · Misko Raznatović · Nikola Jokic · Olympiacos B.C. · Olympiacos BC · Panathinaikos AKTOR · Panathinaikos B.C.