The 2022-23 EuroLeague MVP is back at Peace and Friendship Stadium after one season in the NBA
Sasha Vezenkov seals return to Olympiacos
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Olympiacos Piraeus has completed a deal to bring Sasha Vezenkov, the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP, back to Peace and Friendship Stadium on a five-year deal.
Vezenkov (2.06 meters, 28 years old) left Olympiacos last summer to join the Sacramento Kings in the NBA, where he averaged 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 44 games as a bench player.
In his MVP-winning season in the EuroLeague, the Bulgaria international posted 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a 21.5 PIR as the Reds reached the championship game.
Vezenkov's last appearance in the EuroLeague saw him score 29 points as Olympiacos fell 78-79 to Real Madrid in the title decider. That points tally is tied with Anadolu Efes Istanbul's Shane Larkin (2019) for the joint most in the championship game.
A fans' favorite at Peace and Friendship Stadium, Vezenkov was also key in helping the Reds end their five-year wait to return to the Final Four. However, Olympiacos lost in the semifinals on a game-winning buzzer-beater by Efes's Vasilije Micic.
Having made his professional debut with Aris Thessaloniki in 2011 and remained there until 2015, Vezenkov then joined FC Barcelona, which allowed him to play in the EuroLeague for the first time.
He had a bit-part role in his first season at Barcelona in 2015-16 but really came to the fore in his second, which coincided with the arrival of head coach Georgios Bartzokas, averaging 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 30 games.
Yet, the departure of Coach Bartzokas the following summer led to a drop in Vezenkov's numbers, while injuries meant he played just 13 times. In 2018, he returned to Greece by joining Olympiacos.
Vezenkov's first campaign at Peace and Friendship Stadium in 2018-19 left more to be desired, but in 2019-20 he started to find his feet once again, posting 7.1 points per game in 26 appearances. The appointment of Coach Bartzokas midway through that campaign certainly helped as Vezenkov finished the season strong.
The next year, 2020-21, Vezenkov had his best numbers to that point, averaging 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 31 games, then he further built on those numbers in 2021-22, posting 13.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 38 appearances as Olympiacos reached the Final Four. Then came his MVP season.
Given how well Vezenkov has played under the orders of Coach Bartzokas, at both Barcelona and Olympiacos, Reds fans should be excited to have their MVP back 'home'.