Luke Sikma has completed his move to Olympiacos Piraeus, signing a two-year contract with the Greek side. Sikma (2.03 meters, 33 years old) is heading into his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season away from ALBA Berlin – and his fifth in total – after a campaign that saw him average 7.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.0 steals and a 12.9 PIR. The Round 3 MVP in the 2022-23 season has become a favorite among EuroLeague fans for his passing ability from the 4 position and the way in which he puts his fingerprints on the game. At Olympiacos, Sikma will be hoping to make the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time in his career.
Olympiacos adds playmaking forward Luke Sikma
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A forward who thinks like a guard
One of the most enjoyable parts about Sikma's game is his playmaking, as the power forward regularly racks up assists and seems tailor-made to play under a coach like Georgios Bartzokas. The likes of Thomas Walkup and the now departed Kostas Sloukas have thrived in Olympiacos's system in recent years, with both players recording more than 200 assists apiece in the 2022-23 campaign, and it would be a surprise if Sikma did not immediately fit in at Peace and Friendship Stadium. In fact, Sikma had a total of 161 assists last season, the 11th most in the EuroLeague and 51 more than the next highest forward in this list, Dzanan Musa in 20th with 110.
Even with rebounds, Sikma often finds a way to battle with opposition centers and secure extra possessions for his team. The American closed the last campaign with a sum of 175 rebounds, good enough for 16th best in the EuroLeague. With Sasha Vezenkov having thrived in this aspect for Olympiacos, grabbing an incredible 274 boards in the 2022-23 season, it will be important that Sikma also makes an impact in this regard, too.
Four seasons in the EuroLeague
Sikma has spent the last four years playing in the EuroLeague, having made his competition debut with ALBA in 2019-20. Since then, he has gone on to play in 121 games, starting 112 times and posting 8.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steals and a 14.3 PIR. Curiously, his best statistical season in the EuroLeague was his first in the competition, as he averaged 9.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 16.6 PIR in 28 games. During the last campaign, however, Sikma did have his best-ever year for assists, recording 4.9 dimes per game.
Since ALBA's return to Europe's premier club basketball competition in 2019, the club has not only failed to reach the playoffs in each of the last four years but it has failed to have a .500 record. Over the last four years, ALBA has gone 44-80 in the EuroLeague, so upon Sikma's move to Olympiacos, he should have a better chance of not only having a winning record but securing a spot in the postseason.
The 33-year-old began his professional career in Spain with La Palma in 2011-12 before going on to play for Burgos (2012-13), Tenerife (2013-15), Valencia Basket (2015-17) and, for the last six years, ALBA. Sikma was named the BKT EuroCup MVP in 2019 after helping guide ALBA back to the EuroLeague, which, in addition to three German League titles, means that he leaves the club as a modern-day legend.