Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens has strengthened its backcourt by signing Brancou Badio to a three-year contract, including one of many standout perimeter defenders from the 2025-26 EuroLeague season. The Senegalese guard joins the Greek membership after two profitable seasons with Valencia Basket, the place he helped win the Liga Endesa and Supercopa Endesa titles.
Badio, 27, averaged 11.2 factors, 2.6 rebounds and a couple of.2 assists in 40 EuroLeague appearances for Valencia through the 2025-26 marketing campaign. He shot 42.5% from the sphere and 33.6% from three-point vary whereas changing into a key a part of Valencia’s run to the EuroLeague Remaining 4.
Valencia completed second within the 2025-26 EuroLeague common season with a 25-13 report earlier than reaching the Remaining 4. The Spanish aspect defeated Panathinaikos 3-2 in the playoff series earlier than falling to Real Madrid 105-90 in the semifinals.
The transfer comes shortly after Valencia confirmed Badio’s departure following the cost of his full buyout clause. The membership thanked the guard for his contribution throughout a two-year stint by which he appeared in 145 video games throughout all competitions.
https://x.com/valenciabasket/standing/2075127901339500777
Badio joined Valencia in the summertime of 2024 from BAXI Manresa after spending two seasons beneath coach Pedro Martinez, who later left Valencia for Real Madrid. In his first season with Valencia, Badio averaged 10.1 factors, 2.5 rebounds and a couple of.7 assists in Liga Endesa and EuroCup competitors, taking pictures 38% from three-point vary.
His second season marked his first full EuroLeague marketing campaign. Badio averaged 11.1 factors, 2.2 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists in 34 regular-season EuroLeague video games whereas taking pictures 35.8% from past the arc. His defensive influence turned one in all his defining qualities, together with his perimeter strain serving to Valencia compete in opposition to elite backcourts.
Earlier than arriving at Valencia, Badio developed his recreation with Manresa, the place he averaged 14.0 factors, 2.8 rebounds and a couple of.4 assists through the 2023-24 Liga Endesa season. Throughout his six Liga Endesa seasons, he has averaged 10.1 factors, 2.2 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists whereas taking pictures 35.1% from three-point vary.
Panathinaikos provides Badio after ending seventh within the 2025-26 EuroLeague common season with a 22-16 report. The Greek membership reached the playoffs however misplaced to Valencia in 5 video games, together with an 81-64 defeat within the decisive Recreation 5.
Badio turns into the third signing of head coach Zeljko Obradovic’s second tenure at Panathinaikos, following the arrivals of Moustapha Fall and Guerschon Yabusele. He joins a roster that already options main scorer Kendrick Nunn, giving Obradovic one other defensive-minded guard who can area the ground and deal with secondary playmaking duties.
Badio’s arrival continues Panathinaikos’ offseason reshaping after the departures of TJ Shorts, Kenneth Faried and Marius Grigonis, in addition to the change from Ergin Ataman to Obradovic on the sideline.
