Mike Batist hired as assistant coach by Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos announced on 11 July 2026 that former club legend Mike Batist will return as an assistant coach for a three‑year contract, working directly with head coach Zeljko Obradović. The Greek club described the move as “the return of Mike Batist to his home, as an immediate collaborator of Zeljko Obradović.”

Batist, the longest‑serving foreign player in Panathinaikos history, spent ten seasons in the green jersey (2003‑2012 and 2013‑14), winning 19 titles – three EuroLeague championships, nine Greek league titles and seven Greek cups. After retiring in 2014 he pursued a coaching career in the NBA, serving as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ affiliate, the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and most recently the Toronto Raptors. He left the Raptors to re‑join Panathinaikos, a move seen as symbolic of the club’s ambition to restore its EuroLeague dominance.

The appointment forms part of a broader revamp of the coaching staff under Obradović, who is assembling a team of seasoned assistants to support a new era for the “greens.”