After five years, M. Grigonis returned to his hometown team and shared his thoughts on many things in an interview, but one of them stood out the most. These were the Lithuanian’s statements about Ergin Ataman, who coached him for three years.
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“I would like you to find at least one player who has a connection with him. He completely isolates himself from the players. He chooses such a position. There is no communication,” said the 32-year-old from Kaunas in the mentioned interview.
Such words resonated across Europe and reached not only the fans of Panathinaikos but also the eyes of influential agent Miško Ražnatović. The Serbian reacted by taking a jab at the Lithuanian.
Finally, after receiving various reactions, M. Grigonis released a statement on social media addressed to Panathinaikos fans and club members. In it, the Lithuanian spoke positively about his period in Athens, which lasted from 2022.
“In the past few days, I have seen reactions to my interview and thought I have something to say from myself, especially to the PAO family.
I rarely share something like this, but my four years at Panathinaikos cannot be described only by bad and difficult moments. Every long journey has those. But there were also great and precious moments during my career there.
I was lucky to be part of the Panathinaikos club and to play at OAKA with full stands and even win the EuroLeague, which is the pinnacle of my basketball career. I built great relationships with many people who work at the club, and I will always respect them, as well as the fans who loved me very much.
My interview was about the experience, including the difficult moments, but it was not meant to erase the good things that happened during those four years. I love and respect the people of Panathinaikos and the club itself very much,” wrote M. Grigonis.
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