Grigonis reveals Ataman's distancing

The Lithuanian guard Marius Grigonis has given statements to the official page of his new club in which he starkly describes his experience under the orders of Ergin Ataman at Panathinaikos. After four seasons in Athens, where the team went through everything from moments of uncertainty to winning an EuroLeague title, Grigonis offers a revealing perspective on the management style of the Turkish coach and his particular way of relating to the squad.

A coach who distances himself from his players

When asked directly if he had managed to develop a good relationship with Ataman, Grigonis's response was surprisingly blunt. The Lithuanian expressed that he would like to find at least one player who maintained a positive relationship with the coach, pointing out that Ataman deliberately adopts a posture of total distancing from the squad. According to Grigonis, there is no real communication between Ataman and the players, a characteristic that fundamentally defines his working method on the bench.

This distance became particularly evident during Grigonis's last season at the Athenian club. After a prolonged absence due to back problems, the Lithuanian guard returned to the team but found it difficult to regain a significant role in the EuroLeague competition. During that period, Grigonis barely enjoyed any prominence, playing an average of just five minutes per game, which greatly limited his opportunities for dialogue with his coach about his situation within the team.

Last-minute surprises and lack of planning

Grigonis recounted anecdotes that illustrate the peculiar functioning of Panathinaikos under Ataman's orders. The guard explained that sometimes he would finish a training session, go home, and then receive a call telling him he needed to head to the airport because they needed him for the next game. At other times, he would arrive at the locker room just twenty-five minutes before the start of the match, and only then would they inform him that he was going to play, handing him his uniform at the last moment.

These circumstances reflected a dynamic of constant uncertainty that characterized the lives of the players under this management system. Despite the frustration that these situations generated, Grigonis decided to maintain a professional attitude. The Lithuanian stated that his approach was pragmatic: he was at the club to do his job and fulfill his contract by helping the team as needed. Although he acknowledged expressing his complaints and opinions on multiple occasions, he was always available when required.

From initial chaos to EuroLeague glory

Grigonis's experience in Athens was marked by intense emotional extremes. When he arrived at Panathinaikos, the club was going through a particularly difficult period. The atmosphere in the locker room was hostile, with constant clashes among players. The fans' criticism was also relentless; supporters would insult the players in the street, spit at them, and direct offensive words at them. The coach, for his part, made decisions that further exacerbated tensions, excluding players in a way that heightened internal conflicts.

However, just a year later, the transformation was radical. Panathinaikos had built a strengthened squad with high-caliber players and managed to win the EuroLeague title. The same environment that had been almost unbearable suddenly became a scene of absolute euphoria. Grigonis summed up this metamorphosis with an eloquent phrase: in one year, he was being insulted in the street, and the next, he was being carried on shoulders celebrating the EuroLeague triumph.

The intensity of basketball in Athens

The Lithuanian also reflected on the particular intensity with which basketball is lived in the Greek capital. While he acknowledged that there is notable fanaticism in Kaunas and around Žalgiris, Grigonis emphasized that in Athens, everything reaches a completely different level. He described Panathinaikos fans as truly passionate, noting that their fervor does not require external stimuli like alcohol to manifest; it is simply their inherent nature as basketball supporters.

This intensity, combined with the emotional volatility of sports results, created a unique environment where players experienced the extremes of relentless criticism and unrestrained celebration. For Grigonis, this period in Athens left a deep mark, shaping his professional career with an experience that goes beyond mere sports performance, touching on psychological and emotional aspects that can only be lived in such passionate environments.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Grigonis destapa el distanciamiento de Ataman