S7 Ep4: Mike BATISTE & Coach ITOUDIS on Panathinaikos’ 3 Titles | Golden Era Stories

In this special 25th anniversary episode of The Crossover, Joe Arlauckas is joined by Mike Batiste and Coach Dimitris Itoudis to revisit the legendary Panathinaikos run from 2007 to 2011. From wild locker room celebrations to brilliant tactical decisions, they dive deep into the iconic Final Four victories in Athens (2007), Berlin (2009), and Barcelona (2011), breaking down how stars like Dimitris Diamantidis, Vassilis Spanoulis, and Ramūnas Siskauskas helped build a dynasty.

The 25th Anniversary Special of The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is here — and it’s nothing short of legendary.  J.R. Holden and Dave Vanterpool reunite to relive the highs, heartbreaks, and humor behind CSKA Moscow’s unforgettable 2006 EuroLeague Championship run. From locker room rivalries to the game that changed it all, this episode dives deep into what it truly means to go from winners… to champions.

In this special 25th anniversary episode of The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas, Joe sits down with legendary coach Xavi Pascual and former center Boniface Ndong to revisit FC Barcelona’s historic 2010 EuroLeague Championship run. They reflect on building one of the most dominant squads in EuroLeague history — a perfect blend of talent, character, and tactical discipline. From signing key players like Pete Mickeal, Ricky Rubio, and Terence Morris, to executing a nearly flawless season (losing only two games), this conversation covers every aspect of that unforgettable journey — including practice intensity, locker room dynamics, and strategic brilliance.

What does irrational confidence look like on the biggest stage in Europe? This episode of The Crossover celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by reliving one of its most unforgettable finals. Host Joe Arlauckas sits down with head coach David Blatt and Final Four MVP Tyrese Rice to break down how Maccabi Tel Aviv — once dismissed as the “worst Maccabi team ever” - shocked Real Madrid and lifted the 2014 title.

On a special Championship edition of The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas, Konstantinos Mitoglou’s looks back on the first season of his second stint with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, a year he will never forget. From the confidence Coach Ergin Ataman boasted in their first practice together to the three-pointer he sank to help seal the championship game victory over Real Madrid, it was a wild ride for Mitoglou with the Greens. 

Joe Arlauckas is once again joined by coach Panagiotis Giannakis and İsmail Şenol in Berlin, as they look back on Friday night’s two semi-finals in the Final Four. The panel also preview the matchup in Sunday’s Championship game between Real Madrid and Panathinaikos, and answer listener questions such as how can Pana best contain Edy Tavares? Plus they give their prediction for who will claim the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title for 2023-24

Joe Arlauckas comes live and direct from Berlin ahead of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, to look ahead to Friday's semi-finals. Joining him to preview the matchups are legendary coach Panagiotis Giannakis and beIN SPORTS reporter İsmail Şenol. The panel break down Panathinaikos v Fenerbache and Real Madrid v Olympiacos, as well as answering some listener questions!

As the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season nears the playoffs, Joe Arlauckus’ guest is a man who’s helped Olympiacos reach the post-season after a breakout year. Alec Peters charts his rollercoaster career in the EuroLeague, from winning a Championship in his first season, his appreciation for Duško Ivanović and being behind Sasha Vezenkov on the depth chart. Alec reflects on what has so far proven to be a career year in Piraeus before showing his knowledge in ‘The Crossover Test’.

The latest guest on The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is FC Bayern Munich’s Serge Ibaka. The ‘Mafuzzy Chef’ shares all the gossip from his hit cooking show before getting into his extraordinary life story. The conversation charts his amazing journey from playing basketball on makeshift courts in the Congo, to his big break in France and Spain, becoming an NBA Champion and Pablo Laso convincing him to return to Europe. Serge answers some of his own spicy questions, before taking ‘The Crossover Test’

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas continues on a roll with another amazing guest – Baskonia’s Chima Moneke. We hear about Chima’s remarkable early life travelling the world and the sacrifices he had to make to reach where he is today. He recalls the setbacks he received early in his professional career before finding his feet in France and Spain. And of course, Chima shows off his knowledge of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in ‘The Crossover Test’