Giannakopoulos Undeterred: "I'll Do Everything to Bring Jokic to Panathinaikos"

Panathinaikos BC owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos has reaffirmed his ambition to bring NBA superstar Nikola Jokic to the Greek club in the future. The Greek businessman also expressed his admiration for Partizan, revealing that he once considered investing in the Serbian club years ago.

Last summer, the PAO boss generated significant media buzz with his declaration of wanting to sign Nikola Jokic for the Greek giants.

Now, in an interview with "Mozzart Sport," he addressed the commotion surrounding his comments and acknowledged his connection to Partizan Belgrade, as well as the opportunity he had to invest in the club.

Giannakopoulos stated that he would not cease his efforts to see Jokic don the Panathinaikos jersey.

"I would love to see him in a Panathinaikos jersey, and I will do everything in my power to try and make it happen. The politics are complicated because I don't think it's a matter of teams. I think it's more about the NBA perhaps not allowing such a big star to come here," he revealed, adding:

"I stopped watching the NBA the day Jordan stopped dribbling the ball. I started watching the NBA a little again when Jokic went there. I believe he is among the top 10 greatest players of all time."

Giannakopoulos also discussed his ties to Serbia, particularly with Partizan.

"To be honest, in Serbia, I am a Partizan fan," he admitted.

The Panathinaikos owner recounted a potential investment in the Serbian club many years ago:

"I remember there was a time when Partizan was facing immense financial difficulties. This was about 10-15 years ago. There were some discussions. As I told you, I love Serbia."

Giannakopoulos then explained what prevented him from making the investment:

"I realized that you couldn't just take over the basketball section. You also had to take on swimming and water polo."

Ultimately, the Greek businessman clarified why he had been interested in the idea.

"It was a proposal made to me. I told you, I like Partizan. The fans there are so similar to what we have in this arena. So, it was just a thought."