Antonis Fotsis is returning back home. After two seasons with Armani Milano, he returns to Panathinaikos, with whom he signed a contract for the next three years; a new signing, but of a person very familiar to the friends of Panathinaikos and of Greek basketball.
The Panathinaikos BC president, Dimitris Giannakopoulos stated: “It is with great joy that we welcome Antonis Fotsis who returns to his home and to Panathinaikos, where we all love and respect him. His being re-incorporated into Panathinaikos was to me a natural progress, granted the fact that Antonis is linked to all of the team’s great successes. Hence we view his having to close his career in Panathinaikos as a granted fact. We greet him with joy and we are certain he will aid towards the team conquering new titles”.
Fotsis is spending the last part of his vacations before getting into the Greek national team preparation, in view of the Slovenia Eurobasket. And stated happy to be getting to put on the green jersey once more: “I am really glad to be returning to Panathinaikos. For me it is special because it doesn’t feel like am I returning to a team, more like I am returning to my family. Panathinaikos is my family”.
Having been a member of the clover for many years he knows all too well that great statements were never one of this team’s characteristics. And he himself maintains a low profile in his statements: “What I want is to do all I can in order to assist the team in reaching as high as it gets; so much inside as beyond the country’s borders; in all competitions. The rest will be left to deal with in action…. Because that is what counts in the end, not words. The tally you have at the end of the season and not the statements”.
Who he is
Antonis Fotsis was born on April 1, 1981 and grew up basketball-wise in Ilissiakos, but came into manhood basketball-wise in Panathinaikos, having worn the jersey with the clover for the very first time at age 17 (1997-98). He remained in Panathinaikos until 2001, when he left Greece to play his chips in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies. He returned to Panathinaikos in 2002, where he remained for a year, before signing a contract with Real Madrid (2003-05). From Spain he moved to Russia where he competed for Dynamo Moscow (2005-08). He decided to head back to Panathinaikos once more. He came in 2008, stayed until the end of the 2010-11 season, next he competed for Armani Milano for two years (2011-13) only to return to Panathinaikos this season, signing a three year contract.
Throughout all these years, Fotsis has gathered quite a few titles:
1998 Greek League, Silver medal in the U-18 Men’s European Championship
1999 Greek League
2000 Euroleague, Greek League
2001 Greek League
2003 Greek League, Greek Cup
2005 Gold medal with the Men’s national team at the Eurobasket, Spanish League (Real Madrid)
2006 ULEB Cup (Dynamo Moscow), Silver medal at the World Championship with the Men’s national team
2009 Euroleague, Bronze medal with the Men’s national team at the Eurobasket, Greek League, Greek Cup
2010 Greek League
2011 Euroleague, Greek League
