CSKA Moscow strengthened its backcourt by signing playmaker Kevin Pangos, a member of the All-EuroLeague First Team last season, to a multi-year deal lasting until the summer of 2024.
CSKA signs All-EuroLeague playmaker Pangos
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Pangos (1.86 meters, 29 years old) arrives from Cleveland of the NBA, where he averaged 1.7 points and 1.3 assists in 23 games this season. He has also played for Cleveland's G-League affiliate this season. Before that, Pangos had spent five seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Zalgiris Kaunas, FC Barcelona and, most recently, Zenit St Petersburg.
Pangos averaged 13.5 points and 6.7 assists in 39 EuroLeague games last season. He boosted those numbers to 16.2 points and 7.2 assists in his team's playoff series against Barcelona. Fans, media, head coaches and team captains voted Pangos was to the All-EuroLeague First Team for his efforts in leading Zenit to the EuroLeague Playoffs. He and Zenit also finished first in the VTB League regular season.
"I am very excited for this opportunity of joining such a great club in CSKA," Pangos said. "I am excited to help this team win championships and achieve the ultimate goal in the end of the day. I am looking forward to get in there, starting right away. I can’t wait for myself and my family to get to Moscow."
Pangos made his professional debut with Gran Canaria, which he led to the 2016 7DAYS EuroCup Semifinals. He was selected to the 2015-16 All-EuroCup Second Team. Next, he spent two seasons with Zalgiris, which he helped to reach the 2018 Turkish Airlines Final Four, the club's first such distinction this century. Pangos earned him a spot on that season's 2017-18 All-EuroLeague Second Team. Pangos also won the Lithuanian League and Cup doubles with Zalgiris in 2017 and 2018 and helped Barcelona lift the Spanish Copa del Rey in 2019.
"We all welcome Kevin Pangos... finally, because he knows that we wanted him to come earlier. But better late than never," CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. "Kevin will definitely add his brains, knowledge and experience, creation-wise. He is in a good shape. We are looking forward to help him make the quickest adaptation. Teammates and coaches will do their best to embed Kevin into our system as soon as possible."