Over the last few days, reports have linked Bonzie Colson with a move to Olympiacos as a potential replacement for Alec Peters.
In basketball terms, it makes perfect sense. Few players in Europe are better suited for that role.
Still, at 30 and right in the middle of his prime, Colson faces a different question.
Do I want to be a championship role player, or do I want to be one of the players a team is built around?
The answer may very well determine where he plays next season.
What would await Colson in Piraeus?
The Washington native signed a 2+1-year deal with Fenerbahçe two summers ago, reportedly worth around $1.5 million per season. There is also talk of a $200,000 buyout clause, which should not be a major obstacle for any serious suitor.
This past season, Colson averaged 18 minutes per game in the EuroLeague regular season, posting 7.8 points (48.5 percent from three-point range) and 3.1 rebounds.
His role shrank in the playoffs. Against Žalgiris, both his minutes and production dropped dramatically – just 2.8 points in 10 minutes per game – and at the Final Four he logged only five and a half minutes in the semifinal against Olympiacos.
If he does end up in Piraeus, a similar role likely awaits the 198-centimeter forward.
Perhaps an even smaller one. After all, EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov is the clear focal point of Olympiacos’ offense.
Maccabi Proved He Could Be a Primary Option
Two years in Istanbul proved that Colson is willing to sacrifice individual numbers for wins and trophies. In the process, he became a EuroLeague champion.
“Be a pro within your role,” he once said.
And he certainly lived by those words.
But just because he can thrive as the ultimate teammate does not necessarily mean that is what he wants at this stage of his career.
That is why Maccabi’s reported interest in bringing him back is so intriguing.
It was in Tel Aviv that Colson enjoyed a much bigger role. During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 28 minutes, 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while serving as one of the team’s primary options.
Too Talented for a Limited Role
Ironically, Colson never wanted to come to Europe in the first place.
After appearing in just eight NBA games for the Milwaukee Bucks, however, he crossed the Atlantic and gradually built his reputation in Darüşşafaka, Strasbourg and Karşıyaka.
It was there that he showed he could carry an offense, shoulder responsibility and be one of the first names on the scouting report.
Maccabi simply confirmed what those stops had already hinted at.
A slightly underrated athlete, Colson combines a quick, high release with legitimate floor-spacing ability and enough strength to punish switches on the block. He is simply too talented for his abilities to be confined to a limited role.
“He brings a lot of energy to the floor, he’s versatile offensively and he can defend multiple positions,” Maccabi coach Oded Kattash once said about him.
And that versatility is exactly what makes Colson such an interesting case.
The Case for a Bigger Role
He can fit almost anywhere. The question is whether he should.
Beyond Maccabi, there are several EuroLeague teams that could offer the American a larger role.
Money matters. So does family. So does lifestyle.
But from a basketball perspective, the answer feels obvious.
Bonzie Colson has already proven he can be the perfect complementary piece on a championship team.
Now he has to decide whether he wants to be one again.
