Panathinaikos OPAP announces the three-year agreement with coach Dimitris Priftis.
Coach Priftis stated to paobc.gr: "It is a great pleasure and honor to work at Panathinaikos. At the same time it is a great responsibility and I am fully aware of the requirements and the difficulties. Panathinaikos is one of the most biggest teams in Europe over time. I know it is a special period for the team and there are many things I have to manage. Everything must be done in a collective spirit and in this effort it is necessary for everyone to contribute. From the people of the team, the administration, the coaches, the staff, the players -of course- but also the fans who are an integral part of the Club. I would like to thank the administration for its trust. I will try hard, with conscience and a sense of responsibility to enter the long struggle of the coming year. Our goal is to build a team that will respect all opponents but will not be afraid of anyone."
Dimitris Priftis (born October 27, 1968) is a Greek professional basketball coach. After having previously worked as the head coach of Kavala and Ikaros Kallitheas, Prifitis became the head coach of Kolossos Rodou in 2013.
He was hired as an assistant coach at Panathinaikos in 2014. He then became the head coach of Aris later that same year. He was named the Greek League Best Coach in 2016.
In 2017 he became the head coach of the Russian VTB United League club, UNICS Kazan. He stayed there till 2021.
Priftis has also worked as an assistant coach of the senior men's Greek national basketball team between 2008 and 2012, and from 2014 to the present. He has worked as an assistant coach with Greece at the following tournaments: the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 2008 Summer Olympics, the EuroBasket 2009, the 2010 FIBA World Championship, the EuroBasket 2011, the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the EuroBasket 2015, and the 2016 Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
