Reportedly, Anadolu Efes approached Panionios, asking to sign the Greek club's starting point guard, Vassilis Xanthopoulos, in order to replace Vlado Ilievski who was loaned out to Lokomotiv Kuban.

Panionios however refused as they regard Xanthopoulos a key part of the rotation and the effort to capture the third spot of the league that leads to the Euroleague qualification round.

Anadolu Efes' head coach Ilias Zouros, has worked with Xanthopoulos in the past in Panellinios and it is common knowledge that he is one of his favourite players.

Zouros also called the Greek guard to the Greek national team last summer.