Petar Aleksić Takes the Helm at Iraklis BC

Iraklis Thessaloniki has officially announced the appointment of Petar Aleksić as the head coach for the 2024-25 season. Aleksić, a seasoned coach with a wealth of experience and a track record of success in Switzerland and Germany, as well as on the European and international stages, is set to lead the team in their pursuit of their goals for the upcoming season.

Coaching Career Highlights

Petar Aleksić was born on November 2, 1968, in Trebinje. His long tenure in Switzerland led to him acquiring Swiss citizenship. Aleksić began his coaching career in 2004 with the Austrian team BBC Feldkirch Baskets, where he served as a member of the coaching staff until the end of the 2005-2006 season.

In the 2006-2007 season, he took the helm of Union Neuchâtel in Switzerland. The following year, he joined Alba Berlin as an assistant to Luka Pavicevic, celebrating the team's German Championship victory.

After continuing with Alba Berlin for the 2008-2009 season, Aleksić returned to Union Neuchâtel in the 2010-2011 season. He then spent two years with Monthey in Switzerland from 2011 to 2013 and also coached Switzerland's U20 national team in 2012.

From 2013 to 2023, Aleksić was the head coach of Fribourg Olympic, Switzerland’s most successful basketball team. Under his leadership, Fribourg Olympic won six championships (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), five cups (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023), three League Cups (2018, 2020, 2022), and four Super Cups (2016, 2020, 2021, 2022). Aleksić was named Switzerland’s Coach of the Year eight times (2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023).

His tenure at Fribourg Olympic also saw the team participate in the Basketball Champions League and the FIBA Europe Cup. Additionally, he served as the head coach of Switzerland’s men's national team from 2013 to 2016, guiding them to a notable victory over Russia during the 2015 EuroBasket qualification.

Playing Career

Before embarking on his coaching career, Aleksić enjoyed a 17-year playing career, competing for various teams across Europe. His playing career included stints with FMP Zeleznik (Serbia), Zalaegerszegi Torna Egylet Kosárlabda Klub (Hungary), Union Neuchatel (Switzerland), BBC Nyon (Switzerland), Leotar Trebinje (Bosnia), NAP Novi Sad (Serbia), KK Zagreb (Croatia), and JUG Dubrovnik (Croatia).

Olympiacos signed Brandon Paul

Olympiacos signed Brandon Paul. The 28-year old American guard graduated from Illinois and after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft Paul started his professional career in Russia with Nizhny Novgorod. Paul has also played in Spain for Joventut, in Turkey for Anadolu Efes, in the US for Canton Charge, San Antonio Spurs, and Austin Spurs, and most recently in China for Zhejiang Golden Bulls.

Olympiacos signed Mindaugas Kuzminskas

Olympiacos signed Mindaugas Kuzminskas. The 30-year-old Lithuanian forward penned a 1+1 years contract with the Greek club. Kuzminskas started his career with Sakalai Vilnius and has also played for Perlas Vilnius, Šiauliai, and Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania before moving to Spain for Unicaja Málaga in 2013. After three seasons in Spain Kuzminskas moved to the NBA for New York Knicks where he played 69 games averaging 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. In January 2018 Kuzminskas returned to Europe for Armani Milano where he won the 2018 Italian Championship.

Kastoria signed Aliaksandr Pustahvar

Kastoria signed Aliaksandr Pustahvar. The 33-year-old Belorussian forward has played professionally in Russia for Avtodor, Dynamo Moscow, Novosybirsk, Sojuz Zaretchny and BC Nizhny Novgorod, in Ukraine for Polit-Halychyna, in Romania for Targu Mures and Medias, and in Belarus for Tsmoki-Minsk. In the last two seasons Pustahvar played in Hungary for Falco-Vulcano where he averaged 7.3 points and 3 rebounds per game. 

Apollon Patras sign Giannis Sinis

Apollon Patras (A2) sign Giannis Sinis. The 26-year-old Greek Canadian played college basketball with San Diego. He has played in Spain for Cambados, and in Greece for Apolloniada, Rethymno, Kavala, and Psyhiko. In the last season, Sinis averaged 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game with Psyhiko in A2 League Greece.

Doxa Lefkadas sign Davis Rozitis

Doxa Lefkadas sign Davis Rozitis. The 27 years old Latvian center played college basketball at the University of Hawaii and went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft. Rozitis has played professionally in Latvia for Liepaja, Valmiera, Darznieks/Cesis, and Barons Riga. In 25 games with Barons Riga for the domestic league Rozitis averaged 10 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Peristeri sign Keydren Clark

Peristeri (A2) sign Keydren Clark. The 33 years old American guard graduated from St. Peter's and went undrafted in the 2006 NBA Draft. Clark started his professional career in Greece with Egaleo and after a season in Italy with Scavolini Pesaro he returned to Greece for Aris. In 2007 and 2009 Clark was the Greek League's leading scorer, averaging 18.8 points with Egaleo. He continued his career in Italy with Umana Venezia Reyer and Cimberio Varese, in France with Nanterre and SLUC Nancy, and in Turkey with Acıbadem Üniversitesi. In the previous season Clark played 13 games with Promitheas Patras for the Basket League Greece, averaging 12.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Clarks holds a Bulgarian passport.

Iraklis sign Dimitris Charitopoulos

Iraklis sign Dimitris Charitopoulos. The 34 years old Greek forward started his career with GS Siatistas and moved to Aris in 2002 where he won the EuroCup Challenge and the Greek Cup. In 2006 Charitopoulos moved to PAOK and later he also played for Panionios and Marousi. He has also played for ASVEL Basket in France, for Bàsquet Manresa and CB Valladolid in Spain, and Lukoil Academic in Bulgaria. Charitopoulos returned to Greece in 2015 for PAOK, and a year later he moved to Korivos Amaliadas. In 23 games with Korivos he averaged 8.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. In the previous season Charitopoulos played for AEK averaging 1 rebound and 0.83 points in 6:30 minutes per game.

Doxa Lefkadas sign Lis Shoshi

Doxa Lefkadas sign Lis Shoshi. The 23 years old Kosovar forward graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 27 games in the NCAA Shoshi averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Shoshi is also a member of the Kosovan Senior National Team.

Doukas sign Domagoj Bubalo

Doukas sign Domagoj Bubalo. The 26 years old Croatian center has played in Bosnia for Siroki Primorka, in Germany for BBC Bayreuth, in Croatia for KK Zagreb, KK_Zadar, Jolly and KK_Zabok, in Estornia for Parnu Sadam, and in Lithuania for BC Siauliai. In 25 games with Parnu Sadam for the Estonian League Bubalo averaged 16.5 points and 8 rebounds per game.

Doxa Lefkadas land Raptis, Kelesidis, Bebis

Doxa Lefkadas land Alexandros Raptis, Christoforos Kelesidis, and Vangelis Bempis.
The 35 years old forward Alexandros Raptis started his career from Archelaos Katerinis and has also played for Pierikos, AEK Argous, Pagrati, Fillipos Veroias, Ethnikos, and Doukas.
The 22 years guard Christoforos Kelesidis started his career from Peristeri and has also played for Mahites Doxas Pefkon, Esperos Patron, and Doukas.
The 22 years old guard Vangelis Bebis started his career from Ilisiakos and has also played for Ikaros Kallitheas, Lavrio, and GS Larisas. In 2014-2015 Bebis played college basketball with Iona College in the US.

Iraklio signed Damir Latovic

Iraklio signed Damir Latovic. The 36 years old Serbian forward returned to Iraklio, which was his first Greek team, after leaving Elektra Šoštanj in 2003. Latović has also played for Rethymno, Kolossos Rodou, Pagrati, Psychiko and Ethnikos in Greece and KK Millenium Strumica in FYROM.

Psyhiko sign Giannis Sinis

Psyhiko sign Giannis Sinis. The 25 years old Greek forward graduated from San Diego where he played college basketball for the San Diego Toreros. Sinis started his professional career in 2013 with Rethymno, where he played for two seasons. In 2015 Sinis moved to Kavala, but due to a serious injury he missed all 2015-2016 season.

Vasilis Mouratos on loan to Psyhiko

Vasilis Mouratos on loan to Psyhiko. The 19 years old Greek guard will continue his career in A2 League with Psyhiko on loan from Olympiacos. Mouratos signed a 5 years contract with Olympiacos in 2014 as a hot prospect since he is a member of all Greek youth national teams, from U16 to U20.

Holargos sign Robert Gilchrist

Holargos sign Robert Gilchrist. The 25 years old British center signed with Peristeri a year ago. In the previous season with Peristeri Gilchrist averaged 12.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Gilchrist is a member of the Great Britain national basketball team.

Nick Pavlos on loan to Pagrati

Nick Pavlos will play on loan to Pagrati. The young Greek-American player will continue to play in the A2 Basket League on loan from AEK. Pavlos penned a two years contract with AEK in 2015 and played on loan with Doukas in the previous season. With Doukas, in 23 games he averaged 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.

Arkadikos sign Dovydas Redikas

Arkadikos sign Dovydas Redikas. The 23 years old Lithuanian guard started his career with Akademija Vilnius in 2008. Redikas has played for Perlas Vilnius, Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys, Barons/LDz, BK Jēkabpils, Vytis Šakiai, and Pieno žvaigdžės Pasvalys. In the previous season he played 22 games with Pieno žvaigdžės Pasvalys averaging 4.3 points per game. Redikas was a member of all Lithuanian youth national teams, and he has won gold medals with all teams, European with U16, U18 and U20 teams, and world with U19 team. Redikas is the second young Lithuanian that plays in A2 League Greece, after Vaidas Kariniauskas who signed with Kymi a year ago.

Faros sign Stefan Djordjević

Faros Keratsiniou sign Stefan Djordjević. The 27 years old Serbian center will play in Greek for fourth year in a row. Djordjević started his professional career with Unia Tarnów in Poland, and has also played for KK Ulcinj and KK Teodo Tivat in Montenegro, Mega Leks and KK Smederevo 1953 in Serbia. In 2013 he signed with OFI Crete. With OFI Djordjević averaged 19.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, finishing second in points and seventh in rebounds for the A2 League 2013-2014. In the 2014-2014 season Djordjević played for Arkadikos. In the previous season Djordjević played for Doukas.

Psyhiko sign Tiégbé Bamba

Psyhiko sign Tiégbé Bamba. The 25 years old French forward graduated from Portland State, where in his senior season averaged 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. In the previous season Bamba played in French LNB Pro A for Chalons Reims. In 26 games with Chalons Bamba averaged 2.5 points, 0.8 rebound and 0.8 steal per game.

Doukas signed Alexis Kyritsis

Doukas signed Alexis Kyritsis. The 33 years old Greek guard will play for his third team in A2 League, after Papagos and Doxa Lefkadas. Kyritsis started his career from Papagos, and has also played for Aris, Marousi, AEK, PAOK, Kavala, Ilisiakos, Panathinaikos, Ikaros Kallitheas, Panionios in the Basket League Greece. He has played in Eurocup and in Euroleague, and had won the Greek Cup twice, the first with Aris in 2004 and the second with Panathinaikos in 2012.