Panathinaikos Assembles Most Expensive Starting Five in EuroLeague History

Panathinaikos continues raising the stakes in its bid to dominate European basketball. The Athens-based club has assembled a luxury roster and, according to figures that have emerged in recent days, boasts the highest-paid starting five ever recorded in EuroLeague history, with an investment of nearly $21 million annually in just five players.

The great star of the project is Kendrick Nunn. The reigning EuroLeague MVP will continue to lead the team and will earn a salary of $5.3 million per season, a figure within reach of very few players outside the NBA.

Sharing the top spot on the salary scale is the summer's marquee signing, Nigel Hayes-Davis. The former Fenerbahce player, one of the most impactful wings on the continent in recent seasons, will also have a contract valued at $5.3 million annually, reflecting the enormous financial commitment made by the Greek club.

Behind them sits another major name in the European market, Guerschon Yabusele. The French international, returning to the Old Continent after his NBA experience, will earn $4.7 million per season, becoming one of the most sought-after pieces in the competition.

Panathinaikos' interior game will continue to rely on Mathias Lessort, one of Europe's best centers and a key player in the Athens club's recent successes. The Frenchman is listed with a salary of $3.2 million.

The luxury starting five is completed by Isaac Bonga. The German international, one of the most coveted players on the market this summer, will earn $2.5 million annually, closing out a roster of stars that would be difficult to match in European basketball.

Panathinaikos' Five Highest-Paid Players
Kendrick Nunn: $5.3 million.
Nigel Hayes-Davis: $5.3 million.
Guerschon Yabusele: $4.7 million.
Mathias Lessort: $3.2 million.
Isaac Bonga: $2.5 million.

In total, Panathinaikos will allocate approximately $21 million per season solely to these five players, an unprecedented figure in the EuroLeague and evidence of the ambition of a project built to compete for every title.