Tyrese Rice returns to Bayern Munich as Head of Player Development, opening a different chapter in his career. A journey full of titles and great performances, with the legendary night of December 6, 2019, against Olympiacos holding a special place.
There are performances that accompany an athlete throughout their entire career. For Tyrese Rice, one of these took place at OAKA, wearing the Panathinaikos jersey against their biggest rival.
It was December 6, 2019, when the “Greens” hosted Olympiacos for the 12th round of the EuroLeague. The game evolved into one of the most thrilling “eternal” derbies, but in the end, it had one absolute protagonist.
Rice delivered the greatest offensive performance of his career, scoring 41 points and leading Panathinaikos to a 99-93 overtime victory. The American guard finished the game with 13 made shots on 23 attempts and eight three-pointers, setting a new scoring record for a club player in the EuroLeague—a record he still holds.
Every time Olympiacos attempted to make a comeback, he had an answer. Pull-up three-pointers, attacking mismatches on switches, and big buckets when the ball was heavy. It wasn’t just a productive night. It was a complete display of the offensive instinct and personality that characterized his entire career.
Olympiacos took the lead towards the end of regulation, but Georgios Papagiannis tied it at 86-86, sending the game into overtime. There, Rice picked up right where he left off. A basket of his completed a 7-0 run for Panathinaikos, giving the hosts a 96-91 lead and ultimately securing the victory.
This specific performance gains even more value when considering that Rice’s previous personal best in the EuroLeague was 26 points. Against Olympiacos, he surpassed it by 15, choosing the biggest game of the Greek regular season to put on one of the top shows in the competition.
Rice, of course, had already built his own legacy. In 2014, he led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the EuroLeague title and was named Final Four MVP, while the following year he won the EuroCup with Khimki. He also played for Barcelona, Brose Bamberg, AEK, and Bayern, concluding his EuroLeague tenure with 112 appearances, averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 assists.
Now, at 39, he returns to Munich, where he played during the 2012/13 season, to pass on his knowledge and experience to the next generation. As of September 1st, he will be a member of Anton Gavel’s coaching staff, taking on the role of Head of Player Development. In previous years, he had already worked in Houston as an individual coach for young players and NBA professionals.
The man who once saw the basket grow larger in front of him in a packed OAKA is now called upon to teach the younger generation everything that made him special: reading the game, self-confidence, and composure in crucial moments.
And if he needs an example to explain to them what it means not to fear the big stage, he can always go back to that December night. The night he scored 41 points against Olympiacos and wrote his name in the history of Panathinaikos.