Sweeping changes in PAO continue: Fragiskos Alvertis leaves the club after 32 years / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AFP - Scanpix Credit AFP - Scanpix

After coach Dimitris Priftis, president Panagiotis Triantopoulos (who will remain in office until June 30), sports director Nikos Pappas and GM Dimitris Diamantidis, Fragiskos Alvertis is leaving Panathinaikos OPAP Athens and will not be a part of the Greens' future in any capacity.

Fragiskos Alvertis

Position:SF, SGAge:48Height:206 cmWeight:102 kgBirth place:Glyfada, GreeceProfileNewsStatistics

The 48-year-old former player and club GM was the only person from the previous administration to whom it had been proposed to stay with the club, albeit assuming a different role. According to the club's official annoucement, he was offered the team manager position. However, he declined to do so.

"Only pride, honor and love for the team. The reasons for my departure are purely personal. Fragiskos Alvertis, Panathinaikos", he said in a statement.

"Panathinaikos OPAP, respecting the personal issue Fragiskos Alvertis is dealing with, could not but accept his resignation and wish him a happy ending. The door of Panathinaikos will always be open for its eternal leader," the Greens' announcement reads.

The EuroLeague legend visited the OAKA on Wednesday morning joined by Dimitris Diamantidis, whereby the two men had the chance for a last meeting and a quick chat with the players and their former associates.

This development marks an important milestone in Panathinaikos's history, as Alvertis is leaving Panathinaikos after 32 years, having served 19 of them as a player.

He joined the club in 1990 coming from Glyfada, ended his playing career in 2009 having won five EuroLeague trophies and was appointed the team's head coach midway through the 2013-14 season when Argyris Pedoulakis (the new tecnical director) was fired. That season, with Alvertis as the head coach and Dimitris Priftis-Sotiris Manolopoulos as his assistants, PAO won the Greek League title, overtaking Olympiacos Piraeus 3-2 in the finals.

Throughout the rest of his tenure at Panathinaikos (2010-2020), Alvertis had served as a team manager and also as a manager of the youth teams. In 2020, owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos appointed him and Diamantidis as GMs.

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