National player Tibor Pleiß spent six successful years at Anadolu Efes in Istanbul. In the meantime, the 35-year-old plays at Panathinaikos Athens and has to fight against his “old homeland” for progress in the Euroleague. With 87:83, the beginning of the series was promising on Tuesday evening (April 22nd).
“Today we say goodbye to a true Anadolu Efesli and a real champion”. Tibor Pleiß was adopted in June 2024 by the Turkish basketball club Anadolu Efes SK. In six years together, the 2.18 m center collected countless titles, including three Turkish championships, the Turkish trophy and twice the prestigious Euroleague. Now the Cologne native is targeting his 20th title – this time with his new Panathinaikos club.
And true to the motto “Everything Happens for a Reason” or in German “Everything happens for one reason” there is a duel with the “old homeland” in the quarter -finals of the Euroleague. Coincidence or not – the 35 -year -old is happy, he said in an interview with the sports show: “A visit was planned after the season anyway. Looking at a few games, visiting my family and enjoying everything again. That it happens in the regular season – even better!”
From Sicily to Athens – Pleiß with a spontaneous loan
The fact that this duel occurs is due to the Greek injury misery. Because international business was actually already ticked off. With the move to Italy in the summer of 2024, the 35-year-old wanted to look towards the end of the career. The second in the table of Italian series A, Pallacanestro Trapani, is considered an ambitious and financially strong climber, but the Euroleague does not matter there in the current season.
With his change to the Greek top team Panathinaikos Athens, the German is now again in the middle of Europe’s premier class of basketball. Pleiß had a total of 90 minutes for his decision “Pro or Kontra” Greece when his former coach Ergo called Echin Ataman. On the train on the way to Munich, the decision for the new adventure was made: “This is a great opportunity for another euro title.”
“The Greens” Win Start of the series in front of a home backdrop
On Tuesday evening (April 22nd) the ‘Best-of-Five’ series started against Anadolu Efes SK in Athens. In order to keep the excitement on the matchday as small as possible, the international visited his former teammates in their team hotel the day before. “I said ‘hello’ and pressed it all. Even if we are opponents on the matchday, we are all in all family and friends,” says Pleiß. The time together was too valuable and formative for the German Center: “That welded me together with the fans and also with the boys.”
In front of thousands, partly frenetically celebrating, ‘Pana fans’ started the undertaking Euroleague title number three bumpy. The guests from Istanbul demanded everything from the favorite and only gave out the victory in the last few minutes. And how important the first game of a series is in the playoffs knows the experienced Euroleague veteran: “It is always a decisive game. It was important to give the series the first influence.”
The decision does not cloud a little deployment time
Even if the influence on the field came from other players – the international was primarily obliged to compensate for the injury -related failures of Mathias Lessort and Omer Yurtseven. After the quick recovery of Yurtseven, only the space on the bench remains for Pleiß. In the previous six Euroleague games, the influence of the German was manageable with an average of five minutes of playing time and one point. It was also not enough for an assignment against EFES.
The former NBA player does not regret the step to Athens. The Cologne team is aware of his role: to be fit if someone of the ‘big ones under the basket’ fails. And keep the teammates on trot in training, because the end of all his conclusion causes problems. “I make life very difficult for the boys with my throws. A lot goes in,” says the international with a smile.
Pleiß enjoys the “Flow” in Athens
The German does not yet make plans for the time after the season with Panathinaikos. There is still too much to do in the current season and he likes to enjoy the current “flow” in Athens: “Let’s see where I am drawn.” It is already clear that the “Big Man” with its two titles is the most successful German in the Euroleague. The only other German winner is called Patrick Femerling, who triumphed with Barcelona in 2003 (previously Chris Welp and Mike Koch won the previous competition).
For title collectors Pleiß, in addition to the Euroleague, this season could also be about another crown in European basketball. In November 2024, the native of Cologne celebrated his comeback in the German national team after over eight years. Finally, he qualified together with the DBB team for the Eurobasket 2025 and has realistic chances of leaving the final squad. But the basketball player is not yet too much concerned about it, because he goes, also better here, with the flow.