Spanoulis, Zisis and Printezis reunite at Palais: Aris rebuilds with help from Greece's golden generation

On Sunday, September 6, 2026, Aris will play its first pre-season friendly under Vasilis Spanoulis, facing Vikos behind closed doors at the legendary Palais arena. Before that match, a more symbolic moment occurred: Giorgos Printezis arrived unexpectedly in Thessaloniki for personal reasons and visited Spanoulis and Nikos Zisis at Aris's headquarters. Spanoulis, nicknamed Kill Bill in his playing days, is now Aris head coach. He missed the early stage of preparation because of Greek national team duties, and assistant coach Ilias Kantzouris handled the team. The reunion with Printezis and Zisis, two iconic figures of Greek basketball, can be seen as an emotional meeting. But in the context of a rebuilding club like Aris, it is also about restoring identity and connecting the present team to a winning tradition. The friendly against Vikos will be Spanoulis's first real touchline test. Without fans, the match will still offer useful data on pace, defensive organization and how young players handle pressure. PAOK have already left for Italy with smiles, while Guerschon Yabusele said everyone around him tells him Panathinaikos cannot lose to Olympiacos. Evan Fournier also noted that Thomas Walkup's contribution should not be underestimated. Aris is not looking for a quick fix. The club is trying to rebuild from its foundation, and the presence of those three legends in one room sends a simple message: Greek basketball's past can still shape its future. The real evaluation of Spanoulis will not come from one friendly, but from whether Aris can build a disciplined, sustainable system before the season starts.