Cedi Osman offered revealing insights into the behind-the-scenes story of his departure from Panathinaikos and his transfer to PAOK, who spoke in Turkey about everything that happened this past summer.

The Turkish forward discussed his talks with Fenerbahçe and Efes, the buyout clause set by Panathinaikos, and how the situation changed after the signing of Isaac Bonga.

At the same time, he explained why he ultimately chose PAOK, revealed details from his first conversation with Andrea Trinchieri, and spoke very warmly about his two years with the “clover.”

Here’s what he said in detail:

On his time at Panathinaikos: “I truly had two incredible years at Panathinaikos. I have so many wonderful memories. They welcomed me and accepted me in the best possible way. When I went there, I didn’t know what to expect. Ergin was there, along with Cenk, and they had just won the EuroLeague. That’s why they were so beloved. But I was going there and didn’t know what to expect. Even though I struggled quite a bit during the first four or five months and hit a wall in European basketball, But they never stopped supporting me. They always believed in me—both the fans and the club. After that, things started to go better for me. Once I got used to European basketball, I started playing my own game. And eventually, I became one of the most beloved figures there. I had two truly wonderful years. I formed a very close bond with the fans, the staff, the president, and Mr. Giannakopoulos. The relationship was truly exceptional. I want to thank them for that.”

On his transfer to PAOK: “I’m very excited about PAOK. When we first spoke, they presented their project and their plans to me, and that really excited me. Because yes, right now they’re a EuroCup team, but their goal is to be in the EuroLeague. And that’s why we’ve put together a very good team. We have Andrea Trinchieri on the bench. The ambition and enthusiasm they showed me really inspired me. For me, it wasn’t an easy decision. I still had one year left on my contract with Panathinaikos, and all the discussions were pointing toward me staying. And I was expecting to stay. But sometimes, things don’t depend solely on what you want. And so, even though I still had a year left on my contract, I switched teams, and I’m very happy. It was a difficult process, though. Because PAOK wasn’t the only option. Before PAOK, there were other clubs interested in me.”

On the interest from Fenerbahçe and Efes: “I’d spoken with Efes and Fenerbahçe, but those negotiations turned out differently. And then all sorts of stories started circulating. ‘He doesn’t want to return to Turkey,’ ‘he’s not going to that team because the other one will get upset,’ and things like that. All sorts of things get posted online, and, in a very strange way, people believe them. People write that “Cedi didn’t go for this reason” or “he didn’t go for that reason.” I’m really surprised. We’ve seen this happen a lot on social media. But that’s also the great power of social media: someone comes up with an explanation based on their own information, and then people start believing it. The company that represents me is well-known. The team that manages my social media is well-known. If a reporter wants to find out something, they can send a message and ask, “We heard this—is it true?” They’ll reply and tell you the truth.

That’s why it seems a little strange to me that news stories are written so easily and, more generally, are reproduced by the Turkish media. You can even send me a message on Instagram. I’ll see it, forward it to my team, and they’ll get back to you. But there’s one important thing: I wasn’t a free agent. I still had a year left on my contract. When these discussions began, Panathinaikos wanted to receive a buyout from whichever team was interested. First, the two clubs had to reach an agreement. If anyone wanted to sign me, they had to reach an agreement with Panathinaikos. That wasn’t something I could do myself. I couldn’t go to the president of Panathinaikos and say, “President, don’t ask for such a high buyout; make it easier for me to join a EuroLeague team.” That’s not how it works. If a club really wants me, it has to go and negotiate a deal with Panathinaikos as a club. There was nothing I could do about it. If I were a free agent, I’d have the right to choose. But since there was a buyout clause, things were different. And I believe that Turkish clubs, in particular, probably didn’t want to get involved in that process.”

On the buyout: “Even when I went to PAOK, a buyout was requested. At first, a certain amount had been set. When it became known that I was going to PAOK, a different amount was requested. A higher amount was requested. These amounts aren’t fixed. It’s not as if all teams enter the process with the same amount. A different discussion about the buyout takes place with each team. A different buyout was discussed with PAOK. And for Panathinaikos, the fact that PAOK isn’t competing in the EuroLeague this year likely made a difference. Perhaps they thought that at least we wouldn’t face Cedi in the EuroLeague. But, as I said, the two clubs had to reach an agreement first. I couldn’t go and negotiate the buyout myself. If I went to the president and told him I wanted to leave, and then he quoted a figure that was too high for the other team, the transfer would have ended right there. And I would have been left in the middle. Once I said I wanted to leave and the other team couldn’t sign me, what would happen to me? I’d be a player my own team didn’t want. That’s why I couldn’t do something like that. PAOK came, talked to me, and shared their enthusiasm, their plans, and their vision with me. And that got me excited. They also agreed on the buyout, so for me, the choice was easy. Because they’ve really put together a very good team for the EuroCup this year. But I know that their real goal is the EuroLeague. That’s why I hope we’ll be able to return there next year.”

On whether the situation changed with Bonga’s transfer to Panathinaikos: “When we first spoke, right after the news about Efes broke, Panathinaikos’ GM called me and said, ‘We want you. We’re not sending you anywhere. We’re very happy with you. As soon as things are sorted out with the coach, we’ll sit down and talk about what we’ll do in the coming years.” And I told him I agreed and that I felt the same way. I said, “Okay, let’s sit down and talk. I’m ready whenever you want.” A week later, though, they signed Bonga. And of course, a player might come, a player might go. I have no problem with that. I’ve never been afraid to fight for my spot. Even in my rookie year in the NBA, I was a starter on an incredible team. Since I managed to carve out my spot there, I think to myself, “Won’t I be able to earn my spot here?” I’m never afraid of competition. I never shy away from a fight. After that, about two or three weeks went by and no one contacted me. During that same time, other teams were calling me, and I was talking with them. Since other teams were calling me, I figured they’d obviously heard or knew something too. And then I thought: “There’s probably a conversation along the lines of ‘we want you, but if you want to leave, we can sit down and discuss it.’” So I said: “I want to go where they really want me.” I want to go somewhere where they’ll value me. And when I saw PAOK’s enthusiasm and the respect they showed me, it was an easy choice for me.”

On what he discussed with his former teammates at Panathinaikos: “We were at Short’s wedding with TJ and Kendrick (ed. note: Nan). Of course, everyone wanted to know what happened. ‘What happened? How did it happen? How did it end?’ They all wanted to know all that, because everyone was surprised. But, as I say, it’s a matter of perception. The impression had been created that I had started this whole process, so the players thought: “Why did you leave? Why did you abandon us and walk away?” But when I explained the situation to them, they understood that wasn’t the case. I had spoken with both Coach Obradović and the president. But sometimes, as a player, you can sense whether a team wants you or not. You understand the dynamic at play. And that’s what I felt. And then, as I said, things unfolded that way.”

On Panathinaikos’s disappointing season: “I think what affected us the most was that the Final Four was being held in Athens. On the one hand, we were all very excited and happy. On the other hand, though, there was pressure. We’d lose a game, win two, lose one, win one, lose one. We couldn’t find the consistency we wanted. Olympiacos was doing very well, and we couldn’t find our own rhythm. Toward the end of the season, there were games we had to win. We beat Red Star, Zalgiris, Barcelona on the road, and other games like that. That’s how we ended up in seventh place. But it was a very inconsistent season for us. And yet, against Valencia, we were up 2-0.”

On Andrea Trinchieri: “When they first told me that Trinchieri was going to call me, I said, ‘Okay, I’ll talk to him,’ but I was still under contract, so I couldn’t really tell him much. But when we did talk, we had a really nice conversation. In fact, we spoke in Serbian, because he knows the language. So that made our conversation even more comfortable. We talked for about 10–15 minutes. He told me what he expects from me. He said, “It’s going to be a tough season for you, because I’m going to demand a lot from you. I’m not asking you to score 20 points in every game, because then I’d be killing you.” But he told me he expects from me what I always do: energy on offense, on defense, and keeping the team united. Those things were very important to him. And when we talked about them, I really felt a sense of relief. Because I knew exactly what he wanted from me. I knew what his expectations were, and I knew I could meet them. About a week later, he sent me an incredible message. If I showed you the message, you’d say, “Wow.” He wrote something like, “Come on, bro, come join PAOK.” It was an incredible message. It really moved me, and from then on, all the discussions went very smoothly. The deal was finalized within two weeks.”

On Ergin Ataman: “I had to earn my spot. And maybe at some point he was even stricter with me. There was something else, too. All eyes were on us because I was a player on the Turkish national team and he was the coach of the Turkish national team. So Ergin, in my opinion, was trying to handle the situation the right way. He couldn’t give the impression that “his own player came along and he’s putting him in the game.” And when I wasn’t playing well, he really wouldn’t put me in. And he was right. He had set higher standards for me than usual. I remember that sometimes at the start of a game I might go, say, 0-for-3 from the field. And I might miss a defensive position. He’d take me out right away. I’d think, “Okay, he’ll probably put me back in for the second half.” But there were games where he wouldn’t put me back in at all. He wouldn’t put me in from the start. But, as I said, I joined a team that had already won the EuroLeague. So the message was: “Play well, earn your spot, prove that you deserve it. I’ll put you in. But if you play poorly, there’s nothing I can do, because behind you is a team that was the European champion last year.” And naturally, he’d put the players from that team in the lineup. After about four months, though, I’d really found my footing and felt much more comfortable. From then on, things were different.”

On whether the Panathinaikos-Olympiacos finals have become “tiresome”: “I think so. That’s why the fact that other teams are investing will increase the competition, and the games won’t be as easy anymore. For about ten years, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos lost two, at most three, games during the season against the other teams. In my first year with Panathinaikos, we finished with 19 wins and 0 losses. No matter who we faced, we beat them. Now, however, if there are four or five competitive teams, the league will be more competitive, and I believe it will be an exciting season. There used to be Aris, Panionios, and other very important Greek teams, but for many years now, aside from Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, you hardly ever hear the name of any other team. Now there’s an extra sense of excitement. As far as I know, Aris also made a good investment this year. So the Thessaloniki derby is going to be a great one.”

*photo source: KYPE