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Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman has become involved in a public dispute with Hapoel Tel Aviv president Ofer Yannay following a series of critical exchanges between the two sides.
Speaking after Panathinaikos’ victory over Mykonos in the Greek Basket League playoff quarterfinals, Ataman responded sharply to Yannay’s comments about him, describing the Hapoel president as “disrespectful” and urging him to focus on his own club rather than commenting on others.
“I don’t know him. Maybe he is a good person, but he is very disrespectful,” Ataman stated, adding that Yannay should concentrate on his own team, coach, and players. He also referenced his career achievements, highlighting his three EuroLeague championships and stressed that success cannot be achieved solely through financial investment.
The exchange follows earlier controversy during Panathinaikos’ EuroLeague playoff series against Valencia, when Ataman criticized his player TJ Shorts at halftime, suggesting that the team was effectively “attacking five-on-four” with him on the court.
In response, Hapoel Tel Aviv president Ofer Yannay publicly reacted on the social media platform X, describing Ataman’s comments as “disrespectful and arrogant” and making indirect remarks regarding the coach’s leadership approach.
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