The veteran coach began his career in the Panionios youth ranks nearly four decades ago
Ilias Zouros returns to Panionios as head coach 36 years later
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Panionios Athens has appointed veteran Greek tactician Ilias Zouros as the club’s new head coach, marking a full-circle moment in a storied coaching career that began with the same club more than three decades ago.
Zouros, 59, started his coaching journey in 1989 with Panionios’ junior team and later served as an assistant with the senior squad. Now, after 36 years, he returns to Nea Smyrni to lead the team in the BKT EuroCup and the Greek League, where Panionios is currently seeking to reverse a difficult start to the season.
He will be the third coach to lead Panionios this season. Luka Pavicevic served as head coach for the team's first three EuroCup games and Chris Chougkaz was the interim head coach in Round 4. Going forward, Panionios will be led by a homegrown solution with deep roots in the organization and a wealth of international experience.
Zouros arrives in Athens after a stint with Sagesse SC in Lebanon. His extensive résumé includes head coaching roles at Olympiacos Piraeus, Aris Thessaloniki, Peristeri, Promitheas Patras, AEK Athens and Panellinios in Greece; Racing Paris in France; Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, Anadolu Efes and Tofas Bursa in Turkiye and Buducnost Podgorica in Montenegro as well as national team tenures with Greece and Georgia.
Zouros has coached parts of six seasons in the EuroCup with Aris, Panellinios, Buducnost and Promitheas. He led Panellinios to the 2010 semifinals with Panellinios and was named that season's EuroCup Coach of the Year. Zouros has a 22-35 career record in the EuroCup. He has also coached parts of five seasons in the EuroLeague.