Evan Fournier described the rivalry between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos as one of the most toxic environments he has experienced, saying it has become damaging for Greek basketball.

“This rivalry is incredible. There’s a toxic environment between the two teams, and it’s astounding, frankly. And it’s a pity because Greek basketball suffers from this.

“The finals are incredible, and they turned out to be a legal battle, a fight on the court, pressure on the referees, and some of their houses were vandalized. That should be a showcase for Greek basketball, and it’s turned into a complete mess.”

Fournier also criticized the atmosphere surrounding the rivalry and suggested it extends far beyond basketball.

“I don’t know where it started. They have hated each other for so long that you don’t really know the problem. There’s a long history that I don’t know. But clearly, their owner (ed.note: Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos) creates an atmosphere that is not good.

“It’s all about provocations, it’s about insults, and basically, that’s it. The series starts, and everyone is fired up. The fans come and ask us to win, and it’s not about basketball; they want to crush the other team. It goes beyond basketball.”

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