In the summer of 2023, when Panathinaikos decided to change course and completely revamp their basketball department, great expectations were set, although few believed that the “Greens” would reach the pinnacle of European and Greek basketball in their first year. However, in a season filled with turbulence, Ergin Ataman and his team succeeded in leading the club to its 7th European title and its 41st Greek Basket League championship.

Meanwhile, their eternal rivals, Olympiacos, made their third consecutive EuroLeague Final Four appearance, finishing third, but lost the Greek championship, despite leading the finals series 2-0, falling to Panathinaikos in a dramatic Game 5 at OAKA on June 14.

Three months have passed since that fateful night, and now both teams are gearing up for a new season, evoking memories of the 1990s, with back-to-back Final Four appearances and basketball “Galacticos” like Galis, Vranković, Komazec, Volkov, Paspalj, Fasoulas, Tarpley, Johnson, and many more, or the mid-2000s when the two Greek giants were stacked with basketball elites like Diamantidis, Batiste, Jasikevičius, Spanoulis, Childress, Papaloukas, Kleiza, Vujčić, and Teodosić.

In parallel, the modernization of arenas brings an even more exciting edge to the competition. Panathinaikos’ OAKA now boasts Europe’s first-ever permanent ASB GlassFloor, a cutting-edge LED-based basketball floor that enhances both the viewing experience and marketing possibilities. Olympiacos’ arena, the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF), is also undergoing major upgrades to keep up with these technological advancements.

With these developments, a new era in Greek basketball is emerging, reminiscent of the glorious battles of the past but with the technology and drama of today’s modern game. All eyes are on how both clubs will fare as they aim for European dominance and a fierce battle for the top spot in Greece.