Reigning EuroLeague and Greek champions Panathinaikos have secured the signing of Turkish NBA veteran Cedi Osman on a reported one-year deal. The transfer was officially announced by the club on social media, with Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos sharing a celebratory video on his Instagram page.
Osman, a 29-year-old guard/forward, will further strengthen Panathinaikos’ already impressive roster under the guidance of Turkish head coach Ergin Ataman. The Turkish international began his professional career with Anadolu Efes before making the jump to the NBA in 2017, spending six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and one with the San Antonio Spurs.
During his seven-year NBA stint, Osman averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 495 contests. Last season with the Spurs, he set a career-high in three-point shooting percentage at 38.9%.
The move to Panathinaikos marks Osman’s return to Europe after his successful NBA run. He was reportedly in advanced talks with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid but failed to reach an agreement. Osman also received interest from the Los Angeles Lakers but ultimately decided to return to Europe due to uncertainty about making the Lakers’ regular season roster.
In 2020, Osman was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, becoming Türkiye’s national goodwill ambassador. His addition to the Panathinaikos roster is expected to further bolster the team’s chances of defending their EuroLeague and Greek league titles in the upcoming season.