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Panathinaikos signs Sylvain Francisco in €10.5 million deal
Panathinaikos completed the signing of French point guard Sylvain Francisco from ASVEL. The club paid a €1 million buyout to the French team and agreed a three‑year contract worth roughly €10.5 million in total (about €3.5 million per season). Francisco arrived in Athens shortly after midnight on 30‑31 July 2026, passed the required medical examinations and is set to join the roster.
The transfer was driven by ASVEL’s financial difficulties, which forced the club to sell the player despite initial opposition from president Tony Parker. Panathinaikos’ offer of €1 million changed the stance, and coach Željko Obradović was cited as a decisive factor in securing the move. In the 2025‑26 EuroLeague season Francisco played 42 games for Zalgiris Kaunas, averaging 16.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists, and was named to the All‑EuroLeague First Team and won the EuroLeague Finals MVP award.
Entities
ASVEL · ASVEL (Lyon‑Villeurbanne) · ASVEL (Villerban) · ASVEL (Villeurbanne) · ASVEL Basket · EuroLeague · EuroLeague 2025‑26 season · Nick Vayer‑Baam · Panathinaikos · Panathinaikos AKTOR · Panathinaikos B.C. · Panathinaikos Basketball Club (Panathinaikos AKTOR)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Panathinaikos is interested in signing Silven Francisko. www.in.gr
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Panathinaikos and Hapoel Tel Aviv have shown interest in Russell Westbrook.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] S. Francisco will earn about 3.5 million euros per year at Panathinaikos.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Panathinaikos paid 450,000 euros to ASVEL for S. Francisco's buyout. www.world-today-news.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Sacramento Kings have stated they have no intention to re‑sign Russell Westbrook.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] S. Francisco averaged 16.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in the 2025‑26 EuroLeague season.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A former NBA coach advised Miami Heat that Russell Westbrook is difficult to coach.
- [● 2 SOURCES] ASVEL's project for S. Francisco collapsed, prompting his transfer. www.world-today-news.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] S. Francisco played 42 EuroLeague games in the 2025‑26 season, averaging 16.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] No NBA team has shown concrete interest in Russell Westbrook as of the report.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Panathinaikos signed S. Francisco after ASVEL's project collapsed. www.world-today-news.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Sacramento Kings have no intention of re‑signing Russell Westbrook.