Kendrick Nunn has signed for Turkish Airlines EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos B.C., following spells with the Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards in the NBA.

Kendrick Nunn joins Panathinaikos after four seasons in the NBA

Panathinaikos Athens has confirmed the signing of Kendrick Nunn until the end of the season, the club announced on Tuesday. Nunn (1.91 meters, 28 years old) has spent the last four seasons playing in the NBA, most recently averaging 7.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31 games for the Washington Wizards in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign. He will make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut when he first suits up for Panathinaikos in an upcoming game.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s official! ✍️<a href="https://twitter.com/nunnbetter_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nunnbetter_</a> is Green! ☘️<br><br>Read More 👉 <a href="https://t.co/ZNQ7UdwEZi">https://t.co/ZNQ7UdwEZi</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobc</a> <a href="https://t.co/82QvHFltOG">pic.twitter.com/82QvHFltOG</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1719378123593028085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

### Making an immediate impact in the NBA

Nunn, who went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, spent the 2018-19 season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, the G League team of the Golden State Warriors. After signing a deal with the Miami Heat in April 2019, Nunn got a chance to shine in the NBA in the 2019-20 campaign.

Across 67 games with Miami in his rookie NBA season, Nunn averaged 15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists as the team reached the NBA Finals, losing 2-4 to the Los Angeles Lakers. Due to his impressive performances, the new Panathinaikos guard earned a place on the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while he was also named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month on three occasions (November, December, January).

Kendrick Nunn's October/November Highlights | NBA Rookie of the Month

The following season was just as impressive as Nunn posted 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 56 games for Miami. From there, Nunn signed a two-year deal with the Lakers but ended up missing his first season in Los Angeles due to a knee injury. He averaged 6.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in a reserve role for the Lakers to start the 2022-23 season, but after 39 games he was traded to Washington in January.

More Panathinaikos News

New Panathinaikos Athens signing Kendrick Nunn in action for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022-23 NBA season.

Kendrick Nunn has signed for Turkish Airlines EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos, following spells with the Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards in the NBA.

Panathinaikos B.C. underwent big changes over the summer as it looks to become a force in the EuroLeague once again, with Ergin Ataman arriving as head coach and the likes of Kostas Sloukas, Mathias Lessort, Juancho Hernangomez and Luca Vildoza all arriving to strengthen the roster.

Panathinaikos’s rebuild is in full flow: ‘We built a very good team’

The reset button was pressed at [Panathinaikos Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2023-24) over the summer, with two-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion Ergin Ataman arriving as head coach to oversee a complete rebuild. Most of last season’s squad ended up departing OAKA and 11 new players joined in the hope of returning Panathinaikos to its former glories.

There could be even more new faces at the club, too, with the Greens remaining open to possibilities in the market. The last few years have been difficult for Panathinaikos fans as they have had to watch their team struggle, with the Greens having last reached the EuroLeague Playoffs in the 2018-19 season. 

Now, Coach Ataman, who won back-to-back EuroLeague titles with Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns, is tasked with bringing playoff basketball back to OAKA. Rather than be overawed by the challenge, the Turkish tactician is embracing the task at hand.

“I like the challenge,” says Coach Ataman. “Now is the time to rebuild to give new emotions for the Panathinaikos fans. I enjoy this, I like this challenge. When we talked about a rebuild, \[we discussed building\] a team with big names, with big character players, so I decided to sign with Panathinaikos.”

Signing big-name players

Securing the signature of Ataman was one of the keys for what was to follow, with Kostas Sloukas signing for Panathinaikos from archrival Olympiacos Piraeus, 2022-23 All-EuroLeague center Mathias Lessort arriving from Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Juancho Hernangomez swapping the NBA for OAKA.  

“I want to give everything for Panathinaikos,” states Sloukas. “From 17th position \[last season\] to be as better as possible. And why not? After the playoffs, if we have luck and we’re in good shape, to be in the Final Four. This is my target.” 

For Ioannis Papapetrou, who returned to the Greens after one year with Partizan, he is delighted to have Sloukas as his teammate once again. After all, they have played together with the Greek national team and also at Olympiacos between 2013 and 2015.

“I’m very happy that he’s here,” confirms Papapetrou when asked about Sloukas. “He’s a very great player, creating with the ball and his talent on the court and his imagination. He’s a true point guard, he can get other people involved and I think his quality is really what we needed.” 

Lessort, who just earned Round 5 MVP honors and is averaging 16.0 points and 7.6 rebounds, believes that the roster assembled by Panathinaikos ensures that no player can rest on their laurels.

“It’s healthy competition in the team for everybody to fight for minutes, to fight for their role,” he notes. “It’s going to be interesting to see how everybody fits in, how everybody adjusts to this level, adjusts to the coach and the culture of this team. It speaks volumes about what the team’s ambitions are and I think this is what makes it comfortable for other players to come here as well.” 

Target of reaching the Final Four

This may be the first year under Coach Ataman, but expectation levels are high as Panathinaikos looks to reach its first Final Four since the 2011-12 edition in Istanbul, Turkiye. Since then, Olympiacos has made it to the Final Four on four occasions, so that naturally adds more pressure on the Greens.

“We built a very good team,” adds Ataman. “We chose all players to be together for the chemistry of the team, so in all positions we have different players.” Sloukas shares that same aim: “Our target is to be in the top eight and after, the Final Four.” 

Only time will tell if that ends up being the case, but there’s no denying that this is a different Panathinaikos side from the last few years. With a coach like Ataman on the sidelines, the impossible seems possible, too.

The Greens are looking to return to the top after a few barren years in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Panathinaikos’s rebuild is in full flow: 'We built a very good team'

The “Taronjas” are here to stay and a project that has been years in the making is finally showing results, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Valencia Basket’s ‘Effort Culture’ is paying off

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/roster/pam/?season=2023-24) is making a statement. After weeks of uncertainty at the end of last season, when nobody knew if Valencia would play in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague or the BKT Eurocup, the Spanish team swiftly accepted a wild card to the continent’s most elite competition. Now, Valencia is making the most of the opportunity.

After a somewhat disappointing 2022-23 season, which also started with a special invitation but ended with a 15-19 record, the team decided to take a different direction, letting go of long-time pillars like Bojan Dubljevic, Sam Van Rossom, and Klemen Prepelic, who had a collective 24 seasons with the club.

[MORE...](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1574244/valencia-baskets-effort-culture-is-paying-off/)

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Get your Round 6 game on!

As the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague moves toward its second month and the thick of the season, so does the Fantasy Challenge Podcast with co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs, who cover a lot of ground this week, from the top players of the moment to an anecdote about the great Riccardo Pittis dating from the game's origins.

A suspended game in Round 6 between Real Madrid and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv means that Fantasy Challenge managers have some different choices to make. Players from those two teams will score their season-to-date average until now in fantasy, which will be applied after Thursday night's games. Choosing Real and Maccabi players means knowing some of your eventual fantasy score before the round starts.

Outside of those two teams, of course, there are endless player choices, whom Javi and Frankie break down for you in terms of top performers, great bargains and everything in between. Of course, both review their teams and tip off other managers to the trades they will make for Round 6, so listen in and get ready to boost your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home) teams now!

The week's action starts early on Tuesday as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (1-3) looks to bounce back from consecutive losses with a visit from Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2-2) in a game originally scheduled for Round 2. 

Milan hosts Maccabi in postponed Round 2 game

[Rosters ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/ea7-emporio-armani-milan-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2023/12/#roster)| [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs2-game-facts-mil-tel/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs2-game-notes-mil-tel/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs2-prequotes-mil-tel/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-tips-round-6-players-on-the-rise/)

### EA7 EMPORIO ARMANI MILAN

Milan has been over-reliant on Nikola Mirotic (22.5 points per game) and Shavon Shields (15.8 ppg.), with nobody else averaging in double digits, so the likes of Kevin Pangos and Nicolo Melli will be looking to step up.

[Milan Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/statistics/mil/)

**Ettore Messina, Milan**: "Maccabi is an extremely athletic team with a lot of depth." \[[MORE](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs2-prequotes-mil-tel/)\]

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi suffered a 28-point thumping at Monaco last week and will be focused on improving its defense after allowing 43 field goal conversions in that game. Josh Nebo – averaging 6.5 rebounds – has an important role in patrolling the paint against Milan's long list of big men, while Lorenzo Brown will look to return to his usual high standards after having just 1 assist with 5 turnovers last week.

[Milan Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/statistics/mil/)

**Antonius Cleveland, Maccabi**: "We must let our defense lead to our offense and enjoy our game." [MORE](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs2-prequotes-mil-tel/)

Nikola Mirotic vs. Bonzie Colson

After setting an all-time record with 38 assists in a crushing victory over Virtus, Maccabi aim to protect the competition's best home record against Milan, who target a return to winning-ways, while sustaining their postseason ambitions following a costly loss to Efes.

Last Game: 2022-23, Round 32, Maccabi vs. Milan.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2023-10-31T19:30:00.000Z)

### Ettore Messina, Milan head coach

"Maccabi is an extremely athletic team with a lot of depth and a point guard who is leading everybody on the court. By definition, they always have the right mentality and cohesion especially in trying times. They are coming off a loss in Monaco, but they had time to regroup and prepare, so I anticipate a very motivated team. For us it will be crucial to at least match their determination and show a better quality of play, compared to the last few games."

### Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach

"We are coming off a very bad game in terms of energy and also basketball-wise. We have to find the energies to lift ourselves up, even though it is a complicated situation. We would like to do what we did against Panathinaikos after Valencia."

### Alex Poythress, Maccabi player

"They are a competitive team; they are a veteran team with a lot physicality. For us, it will be crucial to bring the same level of physicality to them, match their intensity and get back on track."

### Antonius Cleveland, Maccabi player

"We must let our defense lead to our offense and enjoy our game. We enjoy the game when we are playing free."

Game News

The week's action starts early on Tuesday as Milan (1-3) looks to bounce back from consecutive losses with a visit from Maccabi (2-2) in a game originally scheduled for Round 2. Milan has been over-reliant on Nikola Mirotic (22.5 points per game) and Shavon Shields (15.8 ppg.), with nobody else averaging in double digits, so the likes of Kevin Pangos and Nicolo Melli will be looking to step up. Maccabi suffered a 28-point thumping at Monaco last week and will be focused on improving its defense after allowing 43 field goal conversions in that game. Josh Nebo – averaging 6.5 rebounds – has an important role in patrolling the paint against Milan's long list of big men, while Lorenzo Brown will look to return to his usual high standards after having just 1 assist with 5 turnovers last week.

Pre-game quotes: Milan vs. Maccabi

Dusko Ivanovic has become Saski Baskonia's head coach for the fourth time in his career, having previously held the same role in three different spells (2000-05, 2008-12, 2019-21).

Dusko Ivanovic returns for a fourth stint at Baskonia

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has named Dusko Ivanovic as its head coach for the fourth time in its history. The 66-year-old coach, a legend at Baskonia, [has replaced Joan Penarroya, who was sacked on Monday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/joan-penarroya-out-as-baskonia-boss/). He is tasked with improving a Baskonia side that has started the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season with a 1-4 record.

Ivanovic only recently became available after being dismissed by Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade following a disappointing start to the current EuroLeague season. Like Baskonia, Zvezda had gone 1-3 through the first four rounds. Nevertheless, there is hope that Ivanovic’s previous success at Buesa Arena will be enough to right the ship.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="eu" dir="ltr">Dusko Ivanovic regresa a su casa 🔵🔴<br><br>Ongi etorri, Dusko ‼️<br>🗞️ <a href="https://t.co/f5cIGuco1Y">https://t.co/f5cIGuco1Y</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/8weykA2P7z">pic.twitter.com/8weykA2P7z</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1719019558273503682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Dusko Ivanovic and his relationship with Baskonia

If you say the name “Dusko” in Vitoria-Gasteiz, you will be met with words of praise for the Montenegrin tactician. Across three different spells with Baskonia – between 2000 and 2005, 2008 and 2012, and 2019 and 2021 – he led the team to unprecedented success.

Baskonia won three Spanish League titles under the orders of Coach Ivanovic, doing so in the 2001-02, 2009-10 and 2019-20 seasons, while the team also became the Spanish Cup champion in the 2001-02, 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2008-09 campaigns. You may note that two of those seasons are identical; this is because Baskonia won the double in the 2001-02 season.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz head coach Dusko Ivanovic talks about the past and future of his club.

Focus On: Duško Ivanović, 2019-20

In 239 EuroLeague games as Baskonia’s head coach, Ivanovic boasts a 133-106 record. Notably, he led the team to Game 5 of the 2001 EuroLeague Finals in the competition’s inaugural season, before later guiding the team to four further Final Four appearances (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).

### The other stops on his coaching journey

Through his EuroLeague head coaching career, which also includes spells with FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos Athens, Khimki Moscow and Zvezda, his overall record stands at 202-162. In addition to all of the teams named, he has also been the head coach of Fribourg Olympic (1995-99), Limoges CSP (1999-2000) and Besiktas Istanbul (2018-19).

Ivanovic arrived at Zvezda last season after the team suffered a 1-7 start to the EuroLeague season, before guiding the Serbian side to a 17-17 record. Now, he returns to Baskonia, a place that he knows well, as he attempts to once again turn things around after a rocky start to the 2023-24 season.

More Baskonia News

Dusko Ivanovic, who has returned to Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz for a fourth time, on the sidelines during a Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade game in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

He previously coached the team in three different spells: 2000 to 2005, 2008 to 2012, and 2019 to 2021.

Saski Baskonia has relieved Joan Peñarroya of his head coaching duties, effective immediately, the club announced on Monday. 

Joan Peñarroya out as Baskonia boss

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has relieved [Joan Penarroya](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/penarroya-joan/?season=E2023) of head coaching duties, effective immediately, the club announced on Monday. Penarroya, 54, had the club on the cusp of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs in his first season in Europe's premier competition. However, his second season has not gone as well as Baskonia has lost all three of its home games thus far and fell 95-81 at Panathinaikos Athens last Friday. His EuroLeague career record stands at 19-20.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="eu" dir="ltr">Mila esker eta zorte on, Joan!<br><br>🖇️ <a href="https://t.co/fkh3jM13gL">https://t.co/fkh3jM13gL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/nSpxYOgdPe">pic.twitter.com/nSpxYOgdPe</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1719017635701010646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A former player, Penarroya started his coaching career with CB Olesa, and also spent time with CB Navas, MoraBanc Andorra and Basquet Manresa. He helped Andorra win the Spanish third division title in 2012 and won the Spanish second division in 2014 to guide the team back to the Spanish elite. Penarroya coached Andorra in the 2017-18 EuroCup, which was his eighth consecutive season with the club.

Focus on: Joan Penarroya, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Penarroya joined San Pablo Burgos in 2019 and guided the club to back-to-back Basketball Champions League titles. Burgos also lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 2021 and made it to the Spanish League semifinals in 2020. Penarroya coached Valencia Basket to the EuroCup Semifinals in 2022.

More Baskonia news

Joan Penarroya on the sidelines during a Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz game in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The Spanish coach has been sacked after a 1-4 start in his second season on the club's bench.

Joan Penarroya out as Baskonia boss

Here's a look at some of the hottest players in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, who you may want for your EuroLeague Fantasy teams.

Fantasy tips, Round 6: Players on the rise!

Through five rounds in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, only Real Madrid is undefeated and just LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is seeking its first victory. The game between Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Real has been suspended, so players from those teams will get their average scores in Round 6 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home). Here are a few recommendations to make your teams better and challenge for prizes in the weekly standings.

[Aleksa Avramovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/aleksa-avramovic/003983/) (6.9 credits) – Partizan is without star guard Kevin Punter, so Avramovic should see significant playing time. He is the kind of player who can give you a high PIR due to his deep shooting range and feel for steals. It is no surprise that he is owned by over 30% of fantasy managers this season.

[John Brown, AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) (8.1 credits) – Brown comes off a strong Round 5 performance against Maccabi with 11 points and 8 rebounds for a PIR of 20 in less than 25 minutes. Against Milan, Brown should have the tough mission of guarding Nikola Mirotic, so we expect him to remain focused and active. 

Aleksa Avramovic, Jordan Mickey. Dinos Mitoglou, Keenan Evans and John Brown are featured in this week's article.

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Round 6

[Dinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) (9.7 credits) – Mitoglou had a fantastic second half against Baskonia last week as he led Panathinaikos to a 95-81 win with 23 points and a PIR of 24. He can deliver at the '4' and '5' spots, and Mitoglou is smart enough to look for advantages due to his high basketball IQ. 

[Jordan Mickey, Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-mickey/008847/) (9.9 credits) – Virtus is on a four-game winning streak and Mickey has had a lot to do with it, averaging 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks off the bench. In Round 5, Mickey posted 11 points and 4 blocked shots against ASVEL. He is a good option at center for a less than 10 credits! 

[Keenan Evans, Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/) (13.7 credits) – Zalgiris plays at home against ASVEL, which gives Evans a chance to keep doing well. In the last two games, Evans has averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 6.5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 24.5. Evans has already proved that his injury belongs in the past and wants to keep leading Zalgiris.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-11-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Valencia Basket v ALBA Berlin (2023-11-02T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Panathinaikos Athens (2023-11-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-11-03T19:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v AS Monaco (2023-11-02T19:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v FC Bayern Munich (2023-11-02T17:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-11-02T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus (2023-11-02T17:45:00.000Z)