Three seconds was enough to turn back time 29 years. At that time in Tel Aviv everything started for Olympiacos basketball. In his first participation in the Euroleague Final Four, in his first final…

In the continuation of the match with Badalona, ​​in the final of the final with Real Madrid, a small blackout that should not have occurred, and Yul, who “dressed” Thompson, “froze” the clock, as when the dreams of “red and white” seemed to be gone gave rest.
Of course, all sizes are now different compared to what they used to be.

The way the trophy was lost in Kaunas is brutal. Great missed opportunity. However, this does not negate the efforts of the team of Yorgos Bartzokas, who clearly changed their level, they were clearly the best team in the competition. But since stories are not always written by the best, Piraeus is forced to look ahead. The team must – and is ready – to continue working on the plan it has developed over the past two years. A plan that has proven to be highly effective, combining smart choice and racing success.

The path of Olympiacos goes up and there is no going back. The basketball he plays is a model for most European teams looking for ways to copy it.

But from now on there are some stars that cannot be passed by. And most of them have to do with how Olympiacos will manage to maintain its competitive style next season. The first major step has already been taken with a contract extension for Thomas Walkup in an attempt by the Angelopoulos brothers to keep the same lineup.

However, the big bet is that Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Slukas will remain on the team. Of his two most influential players, who also define his image on the court. The former turned into a leader and proved it in the final against Real Madrid, repeating Larkin’s record in points (29).

Olympiacos will reportedly offer the 27-year-old striker a lofty renewal offer, but the Bulgarian ace’s desire to move to the US and the NBA is also a matter of course. His timing is perfect, and the Sacramento Kings interest is hotter and more advanced than ever. In this case, it is necessary to find a replacement from the “top shelf”, as the possible loss of a top player in Europe would be huge.

Also, Kostas Slooka’s contract expires next month, and if the 33-year-old ace doesn’t stay, the problem will get worse. The leadership of the KAE is ready to do everything possible for the international ace to stay, he himself is positively interested, but in such cases nothing should be considered certain.

If the Red-Whites manage to keep one of the two in the squad, it is believed that he will not have a big problem, especially after the Hellenization of Walkup. If he loses both, the void will be huge and difficult to fill.

Finally, the decision they will make in Porto for Isaiah Kanaan is interesting, as the American defender may have fluctuated in a mediocre standard as the season progressed, but he “spoke” in the final and especially in the series with Fenerbahce and in the Final Four. . where he was excellent.

The next few days will not be easy as the Greek play-offs and the upcoming championship finals are in full swing with planning. The transfer plans of Giorgos Bartzokas cannot “turn around” if he does not clarify what will happen to Vezenkov and Sluka. These are the two players on whom the entire 2023-2024 project will depend, no matter how excessive it may sound.