Giannoulis Larentzakis joins AEK

Giannoulis Larentzakis Returns to AEK: Experience, Character and a Familiar Jersey

Some basketball stories are about a new beginning. Others are about coming full circle.

For Giannoulis Larentzakis, the next stage of his career carries a little bit of both.

The 32-year-old Greek international is officially back at AEK, seven years after leaving the club. His return has been secured on a three-year contract that keeps him in Athens through the summer of 2029. (ESake)

It is a move that brings together a player and a club that already know exactly what the other represents.

Larentzakis is no longer the same guard who walked away from AEK in 2019. Since then, he has spent six seasons with Olympiacos, competing regularly at the highest level of European club basketball and adding major trophies to his résumé.

Now he returns to a familiar environment with considerably more experience behind him.

From AEK prospect to proven veteran

Larentzakis’ professional path began in Greece, with early stops at Aigaleo, Ikaros Chalkidas, Aris and Kolossos Rhodes before his move to AEK in 2016.

His first spell with the club became one of the defining periods of his early career.

AEK enjoyed a remarkable run of success during those seasons, with Larentzakis playing a significant part in the team’s achievements. The club’s trophy haul during that period included the Basketball Champions League and Greek Cup in 2018, followed by the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2019. (Olympiacos BC)

Those performances helped establish him as more than simply another domestic rotation player.

His next move took him to Spain, where he joined UCAM Murcia, before the opportunity to play for Olympiacos arrived in 2020. (Olympiacos BC)

That decision would dramatically expand his experience.

Six years at the top

Larentzakis spent the following years in Piraeus, becoming a familiar figure in Olympiacos’ rotation.

His value was never limited to the number next to his name on the scoreboard. He developed a reputation as a high-energy guard capable of applying pressure defensively, competing for loose balls and providing perimeter shooting when the game demanded it.

The numbers also illustrate the length of his contribution. Olympiacos lists him with 320 appearances for the club, along with 1,970 points, 539 assists and 507 rebounds. His shooting record includes 36% from three-point range during his Olympiacos career. (Olympiacos BC)

More importantly, his time in Piraeus brought an impressive collection of medals.

He won the EuroLeague in 2026 and became a multiple-time Greek champion, while also collecting several Greek Cups and Super Cups. (Olympiacos BC)

That experience is now being transferred back to AEK.

Why his return matters

AEK is not simply bringing back a familiar face.

The club is acquiring a player who has spent the last several seasons dealing with the pressure that comes with competing for trophies every year.

Larentzakis understands what it means to play in demanding environments. He has faced EuroLeague opponents, played international basketball with Greece and experienced championship-level pressure. Those lessons can be just as valuable as his shooting and defense.

His personality should also fit naturally into the role.

He plays with emotion, does not shy away from physical battles and is comfortable taking responsibility during difficult stretches. Those qualities can give AEK another experienced voice on the floor and in the locker room.

There is also an obvious emotional element to the move.

Larentzakis helped create some of AEK’s most successful recent memories. Returning several years later means he gets the chance to contribute to a new team while reconnecting with supporters who watched his rise the first time around.

A different player coming home

The most interesting part of this reunion is perhaps the player himself.

When Larentzakis left AEK, he was still building his reputation. He returns having played hundreds of games for one of Europe’s biggest clubs and having collected some of the most important trophies available to a Greek basketball player.

That makes this more than a nostalgic transfer.

AEK is getting the experienced version of Larentzakis—the player shaped by years of EuroLeague competition, international basketball and championship pressure.

And for Larentzakis, the move provides an opportunity to finish the circle that began almost a decade ago.

He left AEK looking for the next step.

He comes back having taken it.