2020–21 Greek Basket League

The 2020–21 Greek Basket League, officially known as the Greek Basket League (Greek: Ελληνική Καλαθοσφαίριση), was the 81st season of the top-tier professional basketball league in Greece. The season commenced on 19 September 2020 and concluded with the playoffs ending on 12 June 2021.

Season format

• The league comprised 12 teams that competed in a double round‑robin regular season, with each club playing 22 games (home and away against each opponent).
• The top eight teams qualified for the playoff stage, which was conducted in a best‑of‑five series for the quarter‑finals and semi‑finals, and a best‑of‑five series for the finals.
• The bottom two teams were relegated to the Greek A2 Basket League.

Impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic

The season was played under health protocols issued by the Hellenic Basketball Federation and the Greek government. These measures included limited or no spectators in arenas, regular testing of players and staff, and occasional rescheduling of matches when positive cases were identified.

Key outcomes

• Champions: Panathinaikos won the championship, securing their 39th Greek title by defeating Olympiacos in the finals 3–2.
• Runners‑up: Olympiacos finished second after the five‑game series in the finals.
• Third place: Promitheas Patras claimed third place, defeating PAOK in the third‑place series.
• Relegated: Larisa and Ionikos Nikaias were relegated to the A2 league after finishing in the bottom two positions of the regular‑season standings.

Individual awards

• Most Valuable Player (MVP): Nikos Pappas (Panathinaikos)
• Finals MVP: Ioannis Papapetrou (Panathinaikos)
• Top scorer (points per game): Thomas Walkup (Promitheas Patras) – 13.9 PPG
• Rebounds leader: Dinos Angelidis (PAOK) – 6.5 RPG
• Assists leader: Vassilis Charalampopoulos (Aris) – 4.2 APG

Statistical leaders (regular season)

Notable events

• The season marked the return of fan attendance in several venues after a period of complete closure during the 2019–20 season, though capacity remained limited.
• The traditional rivalry “Derby of the Eternal Enemies” between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos featured intense, closely contested games, with the finals series extending to the decisive fifth game.
• Financial constraints caused by the pandemic led several clubs to restructure player contracts and reduce operational budgets.

Participating teams

1. Panathinaikos
2. Olympiacos
3. PAOK
4. Aris
5. Promitheas Patras
6. AEK Athens
7. Kolossos Rodou
8. Peristeri
9. Iraklis Thessaloniki
10. Ionikos Nikaias
11. Larisa
12. Kolossos H (re‑branded as)

Future outlook

The 2021–22 season was scheduled to follow a similar format, with an emphasis on stabilizing club finances and gradually restoring full spectator capacity as public health conditions improved.