Ataman: “Lesor’s injury is very serious – He is a lion, he went out on his own because he doesn’t want to be held”

In a game where the result is secondary, Panathinaikos AKTOR prevailed with its emphatic 104-69 Baskonia at the packed OAKA for the 17th matchday of the Euroleague.

Everyone’s mind was of course on Matias Lessor and the very serious injury he suffered early in the third period, freezing the entire Indoor Olympic Facility. The first official medical information states that the French center has suffered a fibula fracture, avoided the worst but will be out of action for 4 months.

At the press conference, Mr Ergin Ataman downplayed the severity of the injury but said Lessor is a “lion” and will be back in basketball soon. At the same time, he spoke about the passion with which Panathinaikos fans experienced the match and the incident with the French center, talking about 9 fainting spells on the stands!

In detail what he said:

“Of course it was a very strange night and it’s hard to talk about the fantastic basketball we played. Lesor’s injury is very serious. It shocked us all and the people of Baskonia. I thank them and Lasso for agreeing to stop the game for some 10-15 minutes because for the first time in my career I see that after what happened to the player, as I was told, 9 people lost consciousness, sat down, got heart attack, they didn’t find it ambulance to take people to the hospital.

Matias is a lion. In these situations, he does not want to be burdened by anyone. That’s why he went out on his own with one leg. Whatever injury he has will soon be back in basketball. I hope that he will be at Panathinaikos for many years”.