Igor Milicic replaces Bogdan Karaicic as Aris head coach

New coach, new start

Aris have announced that Igor Milicic will take over as head coach, replacing Bogdan Karaicic after a tough start to the season. Milicic has signed through the end of the current campaign with an option to extend for another year. He’s also the head coach of the Polish national team and is set to make his Aris debut in the upcoming FIBA Champions League game against Hapoel Jerusalem.

The change came after Karaicic began the Greek League season 0–3 and then suffered another defeat in the EuroCup, prompting the club to move in a new direction. Karaicic’s next destination is still unclear.

Milicic’s track record and the task ahead

Milicic brings a strong résumé to Thessaloniki. Born on January 9, 1976, he has won multiple domestic trophies in Poland, including three league titles, two national cups and two super cups. He also led Napoli to its first-ever Italian Cup in 2024, and guided Poland to a fourth-place finish at EuroBasket 2022 and sixth place at EuroBasket 2025.

As a player, Milicic’s career spanned from 1993 to 2013 and included a season in Greece with Iraklis. He started coaching in 2014, earned success with teams like Anwil Wloclawek and Ostrow Wielkopolski, helped Besiktas avoid relegation in 2023, and then achieved the memorable cup win with Napoli despite a limited budget.

Now Milicic faces the task of steadying a proud club that needs to bounce back quickly. Expect some tactical tweaks and an emphasis on stabilizing results while the team adapts to his methods.