Tensions in one of European basketball’s fiercest rivalries boiled over into the locker room area after Olympiacos defeated Panathinaikos 89-85 in Game 5 of the Stoiximan Greek Basketball League Finals on Friday, clinching the series 3-2 and completing a historic double following their EuroLeague title.
Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman accused Olympiacos center Tyrique Jones of punching former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn in the players’ tunnel or locker room corridor shortly after the final buzzer. Video footage circulating on social media appears to capture elements of both an on-court altercation and the post-game incident.
The confrontation added to a chaotic conclusion at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF). According to reports, Jones waited near the Panathinaikos exit area after both players had been ejected earlier in the game. The alleged punch triggered a larger melee involving Panathinaikos players attempting to confront Jones. Riot police intervened to escort Jones to safety, leading to physical confrontations between some Panathinaikos personnel and officers — scenes described as unprecedented in the league.
Ataman did not hold back in his postgame comments to ERT TV. “Tyrique Jones punched Nunn in the locker room. What is this? Is this Greek basketball? What is Tyrique Jones doing? It’s a shame!” the veteran coach said.
The postgame drama followed a heated third-quarter sequence in which Nunn and Jones became entangled in a physical and verbal altercation after a contested play. Jones reportedly grabbed Nunn by the throat or neck area and pushed him. Referees reviewed the situation and issued multiple penalties:
- Nunn received a technical foul and was ejected.
- Jones was assessed an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical foul, also resulting in ejection.
- Both benches received technical fouls as players from each side converged on the scene.
The ejections came in a winner-take-all Game 5 with the Greek League title on the line. Olympiacos led for most of the contest and held off a late Panathinaikos rally to secure the championship — their fourth Greek title in five years.
KENDRICK NUNN VS. TYRIQUE JONES FIGHT
OH MY GOODNESS. 🤯🤯🤯
(via @GTragaris)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 13, 2026
The Panathinaikos-Olympiacos matchup, known as the “eternal derby,” is one of the most passionate and occasionally volatile rivalries in world basketball. The clubs have combined for dozens of Greek titles and multiple EuroLeague crowns. Games frequently feature intense physicality, passionate fan bases, and occasional disciplinary incidents.
This series carried extra weight. Olympiacos entered as defending EuroLeague champions and were chasing the domestic double. Panathinaikos, featuring Nunn as a key perimeter contributor, pushed the series to five games amid multiple technical fouls, ejections, and fan incidents — including a one-year arena ban handed to Nunn’s partner, Blen Kiya, for an on-court confrontation with a referee during Game 4.
Tempers are flaring overseas 😳
Tyrique Jones tried to choke Kendrick Nunn on the court, then later went into the locker room and punched him, causing an injury 😳
(Via @Eurohoopsnet ) pic.twitter.com/VQdWXl3BF1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 13, 2026
