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Former Heat Standout Wins EuroLeague MVP

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jack Meyer | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 6:32 PM ET

It’s been a long road for Kendrick Nunn since his departure from the NBA nearly two years ago. The former Miami Heat standout guard and Rookie of the Year finalist struggled to stay afloat after departing South Florida, having brief stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards before falling out of the league entirely following the 2022-23 season.

Nunn ended up signing with Panathinaikos, a prominent Greek EuroLeague squad, in October 2023. Since then, the 29-year-old guard has gone from an NBA castaway to an overseas hero, having already established himself as the top dog on an already-loaded Panathinaikos roster.

On Monday, Nunn’s newfound recognition culminated in him earning EuroLeague MVP honors. The former Heat guard led the league with 21.1 points per game while shooting 50.3% from the field and 42.6% from three-point range.

Just one season earlier, Nunn helped to guide Panathinaikos to its EuroLeague title since 2011. In the championship game against Real Madrid, Nunn tallied 21 points, three bounds and three assists to help re-establish the Greek squad as an international powerhouse.

Other former NBA players on this year's Panathinaikos roster include Juancho Hernangómez, Jerian Grant, Cedi Osman, Wenyen Gabriel and Kostas Antetokounmpo. Nunn's former Miami teammate Omer Yurtseven has also suited up for Panathinaikos this season, averaging 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in just 13.7 minutes per contest.

Nevertheless, Nunn has shone the brightest out of all these past NBA vets. Just last month, he agreed to a contract extension with Panathinaikos through 2028, making it unlikely he'll be heading back to the states any time soon.

Regardless of what's next in his journey, however, Nunn's first two seasons overseas have proven to be one of the more inspiring comeback stories in recent NBA history - even if it didn't happen within the NBA itself.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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