Panathinaikos' owner, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, has ignited controversy following his team's loss to Efes in Game 4. His social media outburst has prompted the EuroLeague to initiate disciplinary procedures against him, as reported by Eurohoops sources. The EuroLeague's per competition bylaws mandate these procedures due to Giannakopoulos' behavior and posts after both Game 2 and Game 4.

Following Panathinaikos' defeat, Giannakopoulos expressed his frustration on Instagram, accusing the EuroLeague of being a "mafia." He directly tagged the official EuroLeague account and invited EuroLeague President Dejan Bodiroga and Officiating Director Daniel Hierrezuelo to attend Game 5. This is not the first instance of Giannakopoulos voicing his displeasure during this season's EuroLeague Playoffs; he similarly threatened to withdraw from the EuroLeague after a loss in Game 2.

This isn't the first time Giannakopoulos has faced disciplinary action. In March, he was fined €15,000 for social media statements regarding officiating. A prior incident in December 2022 resulted in an €80,000 fine and a three-game ban from EuroLeague arenas due to offensive statements. The EuroLeague's disciplinary code is being strictly enforced.

In related news, Euroleague Basketball has announced disciplinary actions regarding Game 4 of the FC Barcelona – AS Monaco playoffs series. FC Barcelona has been fined €7,000 for objects thrown onto the playing court during the game, violating Article 29.2.g) of the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code. This underscores the EuroLeague's commitment to maintaining order and sportsmanship during playoff games.