Luca Vildoza Transfers to Olympiacos from Panathinaikos

In a major turn of events, Luca Vildoza has signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos after being released from Panathinaikos. This transfer marks Vildoza as the second significant acquisition for Olympiacos, following the signing of Tyler Dorsey. 

Vildoza's move is notable as he becomes the sixth foreign player to switch directly between the two Greek basketball powerhouses without any intermediate stops. This transfer places him among a select group of players who have made similar moves, including:

Zarko Paspalj (1994): From Olympiacos to Panathinaikos

Alexander Volkov (1994): From Panathinaikos to Olympiacos

Johnny Rogers (1999): From Olympiacos to Panathinaikos

Andrija Zizic (2007): From Olympiacos to Panathinaikos

Matt Lojeski (2017): From Olympiacos to Panathinaikos

Olympiacos' Official Announcement

The official statement from Olympiacos read: "Olympiacos BC announces the acquisition of Luca Vildoza. The Argentine guard has signed a two-year contract with our team."

Luca Vildoza: Player Profile

Date of Birth: August 11, 1995

Nationality: Argentine-Italian

Height: 1.91m

Position: Guard

Career Journey and Statistics

Early Career in Argentina

Quilmes (2012–2016): Vildoza began his professional career with Quilmes in Argentina, showing steady development and increasing his contributions each season.

    2011-12 Season: 1.7 points, 0.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists in 6.1 minutes per game.
    2011-12 Season: 1.0 points, 0.3 rebounds, 0.1 assists in 4.1 minutes per game.
    2013-14 Season: 5.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 18.3 minutes per game.
    2014-15 Season: 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 23.2 minutes per game.
    2015-16 Season: 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists in 26.2 minutes per game.
    2016-17 Season: 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists in 31.6 minutes per game.

European Experience

Baskonia (2016–2021): Vildoza then moved to Europe, joining Baskonia in Spain, where he continued to improve and became a key player.

    2017-18 Season: 6.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes per game.
    2018-19 Season: 9.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists in 23.5 minutes per game.
    2019-20 Season: 7.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists in 23.6 minutes per game.
    2020-21 Season: 10.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists in 23.0 minutes per game.

Short Stints:

    Milwaukee Bucks (2022): Brief period in the NBA.
    Crvena zvezda (2022–2023): 9.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists in 20.3 minutes per game.

Panathinaikos (2023–2024):

    EuroLeague 2023-24 Season: 5.7 points, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals in 14:56 minutes per game over 28 games.
    Basket League 2023-24 Season: 6.3 points, 2.8 assists, 1 steal in 18:40 minutes per game over 23 games.

Panathinaikos Signs Lorenzo Brown for Upcoming Season

Panathinaikos has made a significant addition to their roster by signing Lorenzo Brown for the upcoming season. The 34-year-old guard had a contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv but requested to leave due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Panathinaikos paid the necessary buyout to bring Brown to their team.

Brown had an impressive season with Maccabi, averaging 12 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game with a 44.1% three-point shooting percentage in the Israeli league. In the EuroLeague, he averaged 13.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game with a 34.5% three-point shooting percentage.

Career Highlights and Teams

Lorenzo Brown's career has been diverse and dynamic, spanning multiple continents and leagues. After an impressive high school career at Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia, where he averaged 20.8 points as a senior, he played three standout seasons at NC State, averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Brown entered the NBA in 2013, drafted 52nd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Toronto Raptors, with varying roles and playing time. Brown also had international stints in Italy with Reyer Venezia, in China with Zhejiang Golden Bulls, in Russia with UNICS Kazan and Fenerbahçe, and in Spain where he became a naturalized citizen and represented the national team, winning gold at EuroBasket 2022. His best season came in 2017-2018 with Raptors 905 in the G League, where he won the MVP award. Most recently, Brown played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, maintaining strong performances and contributing significantly in both the Israeli league and the EuroLeague. His consistent play and leadership were evident, making him a valuable asset for Panathinaikos as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Panathinaikos signed Wesley Johnson

Panathinaikos signed Wesley JaMarr Johnson. The 32-year-old American forward/guard graduated from Syracuse and was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 4th pick in the 2010 NBA draft. Johnson played two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and has also played for the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Washington Wizards. Johnson has played 609 regular-season games in the NBA averaging 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. This is the first time Johnson will play in Europe.

Deshaun Thomas renews with Panathinaikos

Deshaun Thomas renews with Panathinaikos. The 27-year-old American forward penned a new contract with the Greek champions until 2021. In the last season, Thomas played 32 games with Panathinaikos for the Euroleague averaging 10.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, and in 28 games for the Basket League Greece, he averaged 13.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.

Panathinaikos signed Tyrese Rice

Panathinaikos signed Tyrese Rice. The 32-year-old American-Montenegrin guard penned a one-year contract with the Greens. Rice graduated from Boston College and after going undrafted in the 2009 NBA Draft he started his professional career in Greece with Panionios. Rice has also played in Germany for Artland Dragons, Bayern Munich, and most recently Brose Bamberg, in Lithuania for Lietuvos Rytas, in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, in Russia for Khimki, in Spain for Barcelona, and in China for Shenzhen Leopards. Rice has won the 2014 Euroleague with Maccabi and was also named MVP of that Final Four. In the last season, Rice won the Basketball Champions League with Brose Bamberg and was named Champions League MVP averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Panathinaikos signed Jimmer Fredette

Panathinaikos signed Jimmer (James Taft) Fredette. The 30-year-old American guard agreed on terms with the Greek champions rejecting higher offers from China. Fredette played basketball graduated from Brigham Young University and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Fredette started his career with Sacramento Kings and has also played for the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Westchester Knicks, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns. In 2016 Fredette moved to China where he played three years for the Shanghai Sharks.

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.

Olympiacos signed Ethan Happ

Olympiacos signed Ethan Happ. The 23-year-old American forward penned a two-year contract with the Greek club. Happ graduated from Wisconsin and went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. In his last season, Happ averaged 17.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 28 games. Happ played with the Chicago Bulls on the 2019 NBA Summer League.

Olympiacos and Georgios Bogris parted ways

Olympiacos and Georgios Bogris parted ways. The 30-years-old Greek center joined Olympiacos in 2017 with a two years contract with the renewal option on the club side. In the last season Bogris played 24 games in Euroleague, averaging 1.7 points and 0.8 rebounds per game as part of the team rotation. 

Panathinaikos signed Keith Langford

Panathinaikos signed Keith Langford. The 34-year-old American guard graduated from Kansas and went undrafted in the 2005 NBA Draft. Langford most recently played in Israel with Maccabi Rishon where he averaged 19.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Langford is a very experienced player as he has played professional basketball in the USA, Italy, Russia, Israel, China. In 2015 Langford represented the USA at the Panamerican Games in Toronto.

Olympiacos sign Brian Roberts

Olympiacos sign Brian Lloyd Roberts. The 32 years old American guard penned a two years contract. Roberts graduated from Dayton and went undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft. Roberts started his professional career in Israel with Hapoel Galil Gilboa. In 2009 he moved to Germany for Brose Baskets. In 2012 Roberts moved back to the US for the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans and in 2014 he signed with Charlotte Hornets. Roberts moved to the Portland Trail Blazers for the second half of the last season before moving back to the Charlotte Hornets.

Panathinaikos sign Marcus Denmon

Panathinaikos sign Marcus Denmon. The 27 years old American guard penned a 1+1 years contract. Denmon graduated from Missouri where he played college basketball with the Missouri Tigers. In 2012 Denmon was picked in the 59th overall place of the 2012 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, but he moved to France and played for Elan Salon. In the next season Denmon played in Turkey with Tofaş. In 2014 he moved to Italy for Brindisi before moving back to Turkey where he played for İstanbul BB and Gaziantep Basketbol. In the last season Denmon averaged 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists with Gaziantep for the Turkish League.

Olympiacos sign Jamel McLean

Olympiacos sign Jamel McLean. The 29 years old American center played college basketball for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the Xavier Musketeers. After going undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft McLean started his professional career in Belgium for Leuven Bears. McLean continued in Belgium with Telenet Oostende before moving to Germany for Telekom Bonn and Alba Berlin. In the previous two seasons McLean played in Italy and the Euroleague for Armani Jeans Milano. McLean penned a two years contract with Olympiacos.

James Gist renews with Panathinaikos

James Gist renews with Panathinaikos. The 30 years old American penned a two years contract with the Greek Champions. Gist played for Angelico Biella, Lokomotiv Kuban, Partizan, Fenerbahçe Ülker, and Unicaja Málaga before moving to Panathinaikos in 2012.

Panathinaikos sign Ian Vougioukas

Panathinaikos sign Ian Vougioukas. The 32 years old Greek center penned an 1+1 years contract with the Greek champions. Vougioukas started his career with Aris Glyfadas, Kronos Agiou Dimitriou, and Ilisiakos. Vougioukas played in the NCAA with St. Lewis Billikens. In 2007 Vougioukas returned to Greece and played for Olympiacos, Rethymno, and Panellinios before moving to Panathinaikos in 2010. With Panathinaikos Vougioukas won one Euroleague, one Greek championship and one Greek Cup. In 2012 Vougioukas moved to Russia for Unics Kazan. Vougioukas has also played basketball in Turkey for Galatasaray, in Germany with Ulm, in Lithuania with Zalgiris Kaunas, and in Russia with Lokomotiv Kuban.

Olympiacos sign Kim Tillie

Olympiacos sign Kim Tillie. The 28 years old French forward/center penned a two years contract. Tillie graduated from Utah and started his professional career in France with ASVEL. After two years Tillie moved to Spain for Murcia where he played for two more years. In 2014 Tillie moved to Baskonia where in his last year averaged 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Panathinaikos sign Zach Auguste

Panathinaikos sign Zachary Elias "Zach" Auguste. The 23 years old Greek American forward/center graduated from Notre Dame where he averaged 14 points and 10.72 rebounds per game in his last season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In 2016 Auguste started his professional career in Turkey with Uşak Sportif, where he averaged 12.8 points and 8 rebounds per game for the domestic league and 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the Champions League.

Kenny Gabriel renews with Panathinaikos

Kenny Gabriel renews with Panathinaikos. The 28 years old American forward penned his first contract with the Greens in November 2016. Gabriel played 21 games with Panathinaikos for the Basket League Greece, averaging 6.57 points and 3.33 rebounds per game (8 ppg / 4.46 rpg at the regular season). In 2013 Gabriel penned a two years contract with Rethymno. In his first season in Greece he averaged 12.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, finishing first in rebounds and fifth in ranking in the regular season. Gabriel finished the season with 10 double doubles and he was named twice MVP of the day. In the next season Gabriel moved to Turkey for Pinar Karsiyaka, where he won the Turkish Championship in his first season. In the last season Gabriel averaged 9.7 points and 4.6 rebounds with Pinar Karsiyaka in Euroleague.

Olympiacos sign Jānis Strēlnieks

Olympiacos sign Jānis Strēlnieks. The 28 years old Latvian guard penned a two years old contract with Olympiacos. Strēlnieks started his career with Ventspils, where he played four seasons before moving to Russia for Spartak Saint Petersburg. In 2013 he moved for one season to Ukraine, where he won the league with Budivelnik Kiev. In the last three seasons Strēlnieks played in Germany with Brose Bamberg, where he won three consecutive championships.

Olympiacos signed Erick Green

Olympiacos signed Erick O'Brien Green. The 25 years old American guard penned a two years contract with the Greek champions. Green graduated from Virginia Tech where he played for the Virginia Tech Hokies. In 2013, Green was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 46th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
He started his professional career in Italy for Montepaschi Siena where he played for a year before returning to the USA and the NBA for the Denver Nuggets. In January 2015 he moved to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and the NBA D-League, where he played in the next season too for the Reno Bighorns. On February 2016 he signed a ten day contract with the Utah Jazz. Green was named All-NBA D-League First Team (2016) and NBA D-League All-Star (2016).