Olympiacos Owner: "I think we’ll see a day when a superstar player comes to Europe"

kobimel · Oct 13, 2008

ATHENS — The owners of Olympiacos, the Greek club that sent ripples through the basketball world by signing Josh Childress over the summer, say they have only just begun poaching players from the N.B.A.

Panayiotis and George Angelopoulos are billionaire brothers with the goal of making Olympiacos the best team in the world outside the N.B.A. Panayiotis Angelopoulos, 35, is so serious about their team that he negotiates contracts with N.B.A. agents and watches game film of prospective players. With a brash tone and hands-on manner, he is the Euroleague’s version of Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

In his first interview with an American reporter, Panayiotis Angelopoulos said he and his younger brother would be courting top-tier N.B.A. players for years to come.

“Next season I will open up a small office for free agents in New York, and I will take petitions,” said Angelopoulos, who wore jeans, an untucked dress shirt and low-cut sneakers without socks in an interview in his office last week.

No one in N.B.A. circles is laughing because Olympiacos, with a $70 million operating budget, could be in the free-agent market. Angelopoulos rattled off players with whom he has negotiated in the past three years: Chris Webber, Michael Finley, James Posey, Anthony Parker, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Parker, Charlie Bell, Ricky Davis, Janerro Pargo and Maurice Evans. Although none are current N.B.A. stars, they all have or had an impact on N.B.A. rosters.
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“I think we’ll see a day when a superstar player comes to Europe, but to Olympiacos, not to another team,” he said. “That is my answer. Maybe it will be very soon. Maybe then you realize what I’m telling you is serious.”

Asked the maximum he would pay a free agent, Angelopoulos said: “I will not tell you. I have already made my investigation into the free-agent market for next year. Even if Josh decides to go back, we’ll be ready.”
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/sports/basketball/12owner.html?ref=sports

That's a heck of a list of players right there. Olympiacos really should be seen as a threat by NBA teams in the free agent market.

Денг Гордон · Oct 13, 2008

Re: Olympiacos Owner: "I think we’ll see a day when a superstar player comes to Europ

I take it they will go after Ben Gordon next year, since I expect Boozer to sign back with he Jazz for the max right away.

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Olympiacos Owner: "I think we’ll see a day when a superstar player comes to Europe"

kobimel Hapoel

Денг Гордон Member

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Olympiacos Owner: "I think we’ll see a day when a superstar player comes to Europe"

kobimel Hapoel

Денг Гордон Member

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