Moses Wright’s return to Athens ended with Armani Olimpia Milan suffering a narrow defeat to Panathinaikos, but it also provided an opportunity to discuss his connection with Greece, his Olympiacos past, his career decisions and the unusual circumstances surrounding his Barcelona situation last summer.
Speaking to SKWEEK after Milan’s 80-75 loss at Telekom Center Athens, the American center took the questions about Barcelona in good humor, repeatedly turning the conversation toward Greek water rather than offering a detailed explanation of what had happened.
Wright finished the game with nine points, four rebounds, one assist and one block in 23:49 minutes, shooting 4/4 from two-point range and 1/4 from the free-throw line before fouling out in the final seconds. He had scored Milan’s first six points as the visitors established an early advantage and led 19-18 after the opening quarter, although Panathinaikos subsequently built a double-digit lead before going into halftime ahead 40-37.
Moses Wright putting on an early show in his return to Athens!
#EveryGameMatters https://t.co/tT4P7PJKeF
— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) October 27, 2026
Olimpia recovered after the break and entered the fourth quarter leading 61-60, before moving ahead 74-73 late in the game, only for Mathias Lessort and Kendrick Nunn to make the decisive plays that secured the victory for Panathinaikos.
Reflecting on the contest, Wright described it as a competitive game that ultimately came down to the closing possessions, emphasizing that the most important thing for Milan was to continue fighting and that close finishes can sometimes favor either side.
Facing Panathinaikos and the Olympiacos rivalry
Having previously played for Olympiacos, Wright was asked whether facing Panathinaikos still felt personal, particularly given his experience of one of European basketball’s most intense rivalries.
“Yeah, I guess. Not as much. I wear red, so it’s not that big, but not as much,” he replied, before briefly referring to the players he has encountered over the years and the competitive nature of those matchups.
When the discussion turned to what people outside Greece might misunderstand about the Panathinaikos-Olympiacos rivalry, Wright suggested that its significance is already widely recognized throughout European basketball.
“I don’t think anybody misunderstands. Everybody knows it’s one of the biggest derbies in Europe, so they show a little bit of respect for it,” he explained.
Later in the conversation, when asked what else attracts him to Greece, Wright also expressed an interest in experiencing the derby without being directly involved on the court.
“I’d love to go watch the derby as a fan,” he said.
Barcelona, an interesting summer and the Greek water jokes
The conversation became particularly interesting when Wright was invited to revisit the events of last summer, when his career appeared set to take him to Barcelona before he ultimately joined Olimpia Milano.
Asked to explain what had happened, given that he had previously described the summer as interesting without going into the details, Wright initially repeated his earlier characterization.
“My explanation is, it was a very interesting summer,” he replied.
The follow-up question was more specific, asking what had changed so dramatically that he walked away from a club to which he had already committed, but Wright chose to take the exchange in a humorous direction rather than address the circumstances of the transfer.
“Just a bit of water. A bit of Greek water,” he said.
Asked whether he might return to Greece anytime soon, he continued in the same playful manner, suggesting that a holiday might be an option while bringing up the subject of water once again.
“I don’t know. I might have some holidays. I don’t know. Good water, though,” he replied.
Even when the discussion was brought back toward the Barcelona situation, Wright maintained the lighthearted approach rather than providing additional details about the events of last summer, leaving the circumstances behind his change of plans unexplained.
“I still have no regrets” – His decision to join Milan
Asked how his move to Olimpia Milano had come about, Wright indicated that the Italian club had contacted him and that he had accepted the opportunity, without elaborating on the details.
The conversation then moved to whether pursuing a new professional opportunity can sometimes come at the expense of stability, particularly when the new environment proves challenging, with the question also referencing his previous reflections on leaving Lithuania and the subsequent success of Zalgiris.
“No, not at all. I made the decision. I’m going to stick with it. I still have no regrets about it,” he responded.
Despite Milan’s difficult opening stretch, Wright made it clear that he remains comfortable with his decision and has no intention of reconsidering it because of the team’s early results.
Asked whether he felt he had fulfilled the expectations he originally set for himself during his career, he explained that his focus remains on establishing new objectives every season.
“I set goals every year. And I have some goals this year that I want to achieve. New year, new goals, basically,” he said.
Still targeting the playoffs and backing Milan for the EuroLeague title
Although Olimpia Milano has opened the season with a 1-7 record, Wright continues to believe that there is enough time for the team to turn its fortunes around and challenge for a place in the playoffs.
“We’ve got 30 more rounds of EuroLeague basketball. I still want to get to the playoffs with Milan,” he said, before stressing that the remaining schedule offers opportunities for things to change.
“Anything can happen. Every game matters,” Wright added.
The final exchange concerned his prediction for this season’s EuroLeague champion, with the American center selecting Olimpia Milano despite the team’s difficult start.
“Milan,” he replied.