Lefteris Mantzoukas Shines for Panathinaikos Under Željko Obradović

Panathinaikos boasts a star-studded roster, but the player who stole the show this week was Lefteris Mantzoukas, a forward once hailed as one of Greek basketball's brightest prodigies.

Early Promise and Record-Breaking Debuts

Greek basketball fans have known his name for years. Mantzoukas made his senior league debut at just 14 years old for Promitheas Patras against Panionios, trailing only Georgios Papagiannis as the youngest debutant in top-flight history. In that same game, he scored his first points, becoming the youngest scorer in Greek league history at 14 years, seven months, and six days old. A few months later, he made history again by starting against Olympiacos, setting a record as the youngest starter in the professional era.

"He yelled at me because I made a mistake on the previous play, but I know it's nothing personal. Obviously, he is a coach with immense achievements," Mantzoukas said.

Career Struggles and Rebirth Under Obradović

High expectations followed, but Mantzoukas struggled to cement his place. Stints on loan at Aris Thessaloniki and Maroussi yielded modest results, and a season at Oklahoma State failed to spark NBA interest, averaging 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting a dismal 24.2% from beyond the arc. However, upon returning to Athens, he earned the trust of head coach Željko Obradović. After scoring 10 points in a season-opening EuroLeague win over Paris, Mantzoukas exploded against ASVEL with 16 points, six rebounds, and four three-pointers.

Obradović praised the forward's work ethic: "I understand he spends hours in the gym, he loves to play basketball, he plays with energy and concentration. He is in a good momentum, showing what he can give. He shoots well, plays defense. The problem is that he is not 100 percent focused every single moment, and my job is to point that out."