Report: Panathinaikos also pursued Maccabi Tel Aviv's intriguing new signing
Greek media claim that Panathinaikos was tracking C-Keaton Wallace, who has reached an agreement with the 'Yellows' and is expected to sign officially soon: "He could become one of the most talked-about players next season."
Maccabi Tel Aviv reached an agreement last week with C-Keaton Wallace, and it now turns out they were not alone in the race for the intriguing American guard. According to Greek media, Panathinaikos was also tracking him, but ultimately, it was the 'Yellows' who finalized the deal.
"The EuroLeague has proven many times that you don't need an NBA superstar to shift the balance of power," the Squeak website reported. "It is enough to have a player who waited years for his opportunity, developed through adversity, and arrives in Europe at the right moment. C-Keaton Wallace is one of them. Maccabi is adding a guard who Panathinaikos was also interested in, with the belief that he can develop into one of the most talked-about players next season."
C-Keaton is the older brother of Cason Wallace, a former NBA champion with the Oklahoma City Thunder and one of the league's top defensive players. In his rookie NBA season, he made a positive impression, averaging 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 16 minutes per game. Among his highlights, he set a career-high of 27 points against the Chicago Bulls and recorded his first career triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists in a win over the Orlando Magic. Last summer, the guard drew interest from the EuroLeague but ultimately signed for another season with the Atlanta Hawks.
Wallace went undrafted in 2021 after finishing his studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), but managed to pave his own way to the NBA.
"If you want to play basketball, I am living proof that everything is possible," he said in 2025. "You just need to put your head down and work hard. My path was not the most glamorous, but you can reach wherever you want."
