Panathinaikos welcomed the outstanding scorer and superb defender Brancou Badiou to Athens at noon on Tuesday (July 7). The Senegalese guard passed all the necessary medical exams, and the “Greens” officially announced the start of their three-year partnership with him two days later, when the official announcement of his release from Valencia was also made.

The announcement states in
detail: “Panathinaikos AKTOR Basketball Club announces the signing of Branko Bandio for the next three years.

Badio was born on February 17, 1999, in Rufisque, Senegal; he is 1.91m tall and plays the guard positions.

He began his career with Saltigue in his hometown, making his first appearances at the men’s level at age 15. In 2018, he was named Rookie of the Year in the Senegalese league before moving to Spain to play for the Canarias Basketball Academy, while also playing for La Matanza in the Liga EBA.

During the 2019–2020 season, he signed with FC Barcelona, playing primarily for the club’s second team in LEB Plata, where he averaged 13.4 points and shot 40% from three-point range. In September 2021, he moved to Germany to play for Skyliners Frankfurt, with whom he finished the season averaging 10.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3 assists in 26 minutes of playing time per game.

In May 2022, he returned to Spain to play for Manresa, where he played until the end of the season, and on June 29, 2024, he signed a three-year contract with Valencia Basket. In 2025, he won the Super Cup with the Spanish team, and the 2025–26 season was the pinnacle of his career, averaging 11.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 20.29 minutes per game during the EuroLeague regular season. In 2026, he was crowned Spanish Champion with Valencia Basket, averaging 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 24 minutes per game.

At the national team level, Bandio is a key member of the Senegal national team, with which he has won two bronze medals at AfroBasket, contributing significantly to his country’s successes. In fact, at the 2025 tournament, where Senegal finished in third place, he averaged 19.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 29 minutes of playing time per game, shooting 43.5% from three-point range.”

*photo source: KYPE