# Olympiakos sign Josh Childress



## Stojakovic4 (Jun 6, 2008)

Josh Childress bolts Hawks for Olympiakos 









Josh Childress, right, has accepted a lucrative offer to play in Greece next season. (Eric Gay/Associated Press)Restricted free-agent guard Josh Childress has decided to leave the NBA and take a three-year deal with Greek club Olympiakos worth a reported $20 million US.

The Atlanta Hawks had been in negotiations with Childress and fellow restricted free agent Josh Smith for weeks, but were unable to reach an agreement with them.

No NBA team could offer nearly as much as Olympiakos for Childress, and on Wednesday, he made the decision to leave the league where he was drafted sixth overall in 2004.

Atlanta will still retain the rights of their efficient sixth man for two more seasons, but has effectively lost his services for nothing.

"It's official. I've signed. I was in a situation that I really didn't know what my answer would be when I got to Athens," Childress said. "But it's a great city and a great team, and they did everything to make me feel at home."

Childress, 25, posted averages of 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in just under 30 minutes per game for the Hawks last season.

Olympiakos is one of the premier basketball clubs internationally and finished as the runner-up in the Greek basketball league last year behind rival Panathinaikos.

But the addition of Childress to Olympiakos represents a coup for European clubs, which were more accustomed to losing homegrown talent to the NBA.

Top American high school prospect Brandon Jennings also made the move to Europe this offseason, as he elected to forego his eligibility for the NCAA and signed a one-year deal with Italian League team Pallacanestro Virtus Roma.


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## kwyjibo (Dec 28, 2003)

What a waste of cash. Childress making off like a bandit.


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## Stojakovic4 (Jun 6, 2008)

good i hate Olympiakos

hopefully he screws them losers big time


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## NewAgeBaller (Jan 8, 2007)

Has Panathinaikos signed anyone (NBA)?


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Isn't this a month old?


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