Marius Grigonis reflects on how he stayed with PAO, notices change in Greek fans stance / News - Basketnews.com

Marius Grigonis referred to how Panathinaikos players controlled their emotions in the Greek derby, pointed out the differences in fan behavior compared to last year, and confirmed that last summer, his future with the Greens was shaky.

Credit: Vangelis Stolis Credit Vangelis Stolis

More than an hour afterPanathinaikos Athens'players had settled in their locker room at the Peace and Friendship stadium last Monday night,Marius Grigoniscame out to explore the area.

3-pointers this season

36%9,0Points made:9,0Accuracy:35,7%Place in standings:10Record max:10Record min:7Most made 3FGs:Marius GrigonisTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Surrounded by security, policemen, and journalists who were eagerly waiting for the protagonists to re-appear, the Lithuanian guard looked both happy and relieved.

It's not common for the Greens to beat their main rivals, Olympiacos Piraeus, on the road. It took PAO two years and seven straight losses to get to that point, while the Reds had managed to build a resounding 18-1 record against them.

"I'm obviously happy," Grigonis told BasketNews."When you win, you're happy. When it's a derby, even more so. I'm happy for the guys and the club.

However, not that long ago, Grigonis' future in the club looked uncertain.

In late July, Dimitris Giannakopoulos revealed that the clubhad reached out to Sviatoslav Mykhailiukfor the starting small forward position. Add Ioannis Papapetrou, Kyle Guy, Luca Vildoza, Kostas Sloukas, Jerian Grant, and Dimitris Moraitis, and you have eight players sharing 120 minutes on the court.

In short, Grigonis might have ended up being the odd man out.

Yet, the Lithuanian international was the first non-Greek player to arrive in Athens on July 30 for individual practice. His professionalism definitely played a part in his staying with the team, along with the fact that Mykhailiuk preferred to explore his NBA options.

Asked about who or what kept him on PAO's roster, he replied:

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