Panathinaikos bring Mantzoukas and Moraitis back to Athens for 2026-27

Panathinaikos AKTOR have officially announced the return of Lefteris Mantzoukas and Dimitris Moraitis for the 2026-27 season, bringing two familiar faces back to the club's Greek core. Both players spent the previous campaign away from Athens: Mantzoukas in the NCAA with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Moraitis on loan at Iraklis. Both are now back in the Greens' roster under Zeljko Obradovic, who regains two players developed within the club and already familiar with his system.

Mantzoukas, a 2.07m forward born on 8 July 2003 in Ioannina, first joined Panathinaikos in 2021 and was part of the squad that lifted the EuroLeague title in 2024. His first spell with the Greens also brought two Greek League championships and a Greek Cup. After spending the 2024-25 season on loan with Aris and Maroussi, he moved to the United States for a year with Oklahoma State, gaining experience in American college basketball before returning to Athens.

Moraitis, a 27-year-old playmaker capped by Greece, played for the club between 2023 and 2025, winning the EuroLeague and the Greek championship in 2024 plus the Greek Cup in 2025. Last season, on loan at Iraklis, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game, confirming himself as a reliable floor general also in the Greek national team jersey.

The double return adds two homegrown players with previous experience at the club to Obradovic's roster, giving Panathinaikos extra depth at both guard and forward spots as they prepare for another push at the top of European basketball. Both know the coach's system inside out, and their familiarity with the club's standards should ease them straight back into the rotation for the new campaign. The club stressed that continuity with its own youth pathway and with players raised inside the organisation remains a priority in an increasingly global market.

Sources

• Eurohoops
• Pianetabasket