Dimitris Itoudis knows Hapoel Tel Aviv cannot approach its second EuroLeague season in the same way it approached its first.
The Israeli club spent almost three months at the top of the standings last season and remained in the playoff picture throughout the campaign, establishing itself as one of the competition’s most competitive teams. At the same time, injuries and roster changes exposed the difficulties that come with competing at that level for an entire season.
Now, Hapoel Tel Aviv enters the new campaign with greater expectations and a significantly reshaped roster. Tomas Satoransky and Zach LeDay bring extensive EuroLeague experience, while Amir Coffey and Jacob Toppin arrive with the task of adapting to European basketball.
At the center of the project remains Vasilije Micic. The Serbian guard returned to Europe last season as the highest-paid player in the EuroLeague. His first season back in the competition did not fully match the expectations attached to his status, making his response one of the biggest storylines surrounding Hapoel.
In an interview with Mozzart Sport, Dimitris Itoudis discussed Micic, the lessons from Hapoel Tel Aviv’s first EuroLeague season, the club’s offseason additions and what he expects from his team as the competition becomes even more demanding.
Ofer Yannay has come up with another unusual idea – offering Dennis Rodman up to $100,000 to visit Tel Aviv and help Hapoel improve its rebounding 👀
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) August 12, 2026
Business-class flights and accommodation for Rodman and up to three guests would also be covered 🤔✈️ pic.twitter.com/xpnmSj5mJH
Dimitris Itoudis on Vasilije Micic
Vasilije Micic enters his second season with Hapoel Tel Aviv with a different level of familiarity around him. After returning to European basketball last season, the Serbian guard now knows Itoudis, his teammates and the demands of the system much better.
“We are very satisfied that Micic came ready. One of the players I said came ready was him. You could see that there had been work done. We spoke during the summer, but it is different when you see him and see that he came ready. We have already worked together for a year, which means that we know each other better, both me and him, as well as with his teammates.”
That familiarity also extends beyond what Micic does with the ball. Itoudis sees him as one of Hapoel’s leaders, with an active role in the team’s communication both on and off the court.
“He is certainly one of our leaders. Vasa has a voice both in meetings and at practice, and that is very important. Yes, the coach is the one who leads and so on, but I also want us to have the player’s approach to what we are talking about. Because basketball is not played like this today: ‘You will do that because I tell you.’ There should also be an explanation of why we are doing something.
“Or, if we failed to do something, if we did not stop an action or a rotation, we know who did not react in time, who did not react at the right moment and who was not in the right position. Vasa gives ideas there and I talk to him a lot. As a coach, I do not see another way. With players who create the game and have the ball in their hands, we are in constant communication – whether it is eye contact, conversation or individual talks in the locker room – to see how the team can function.”
For Dimitris Itoudis, Micic’s responsibilities go beyond simply creating shots or controlling the tempo. A point guard has to understand the tendencies of every teammate and know how to put them in the best possible position.
“Micic as a point guard or a player who creates the game, needs to know his teammates very well, their weaknesses and their strengths. What does Elijah Bryant want? Where does Amir Coffey feel more comfortable? Is it on one side or the other? Is it a bounce pass, is it an alley-oop pass? That is one of the things a point guard studies.
“That is how Milos Teodosic played, as well as those elite point guards – whether it was Diamantidis, Spanoulis or Jasikevicius. You need to know your teammates, but also the weaknesses of opposing players on defense, meaning who we attack at that moment. These are the things and nuances that Micic is very focused on, and that is where good cooperation between all the teammates and the coaching staff is important.”
That responsibility naturally comes with pressure, particularly for a player whose return to Europe was accompanied by enormous expectations. Itoudis, however, does not believe pressure is something Micic should try to avoid.
“So who says that when it is easier, you perform at your best? Maybe when it is harder, you perform at your best. That is the motivation. I think Vasa, like every player who belongs to the elite and wants the best, knows that he needs to play against that pressure that is created. Is it because of the contract you signed? Is it because you have already succeeded? Because Vasilije Micic is not someone who appeared yesterday. He has won titles and awards, he has shown what he needed to show and he got what he got.”
Itoudis looks back on Hapoel Tel Aviv’s first EuroLeague season
Dimitris Itoudis does not believe Hapoel Tel Aviv’s first EuroLeague season should be viewed through the difficult moments alone.
“Look, I would first start by saying, and I think we all agreed, that the season was excellent when it comes to the EuroLeague. We had difficulties in the domestic championship because we had Elijah Bryant injured, who was supposed to undergo surgery. Antonio Blakeney, Colin Malcolm and Daniel Oturu were not there in that first phase of the playoffs, with Oturu playing only one game.
“So we were without four significant players. I am not even mentioning Kessler, who left after the EuroLeague playoffs. So, roughly four or five players who were in the starting five were missing. We therefore had to modify the situation. We signed some new players who had to be introduced into the system.
“Let’s not forget that we were in first place for almost three months in a very competitive league like the EuroLeague. Hapoel Tel Aviv never lost contact with the playoffs, let’s put it that way. Whether it was first place or sixth place, we were always in the playoff zone.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv wants to avoid last season’s mistakes
For Itoudis, last season provided several lessons that Hapoel Tel Aviv cannot afford to ignore. The coach pointed specifically to stability, continuity, injuries, chemistry and the team’s approach to individual games as factors that influenced its level during the campaign.
“We saw that if we have some stability and continuity, as the Americans say, we can succeed. What is it that did not function well and why did we lose that connection with good basketball? Were those the things that disrupted us considering the injuries we had? Was it the chemistry during that additional period? Was it a bad approach to games?
We collected all of that and, above all, I hope that we will not repeat the same mistakes.”
Tomas Satoransky and Zach LeDay bring EuroLeague experience
Among the newcomers, Satoransky and LeDay already understand the level of competition Hapoel Tel Aviv is preparing for. Itoudis is still evaluating how each player fits into the team’s structure, but he singled out the pair alongside Coffey and Toppin when discussing the early stages of preseason.
“We are still in the preparation period. I want to see how Coffey fits with the other players. How Toppin fits at the four position. How we can introduce LeDay and Satoransky into our game, players you correctly mentioned have EuroLeague experience and know very well what is expected from them.”
That experience also gives Hapoel an advantage when it comes to preparing for opponents.
“Satoransky and LeDay already know most of the players who are at Partizan, they know the style of those players, their weaknesses and strengths. Coffey and Toppin will need a little more time to adapt.”
ואסה מגיש את המנה המקומית 🧑🏼🍳 pic.twitter.com/fGalZEX4Ym
— Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) September 5, 2026
Amir Coffey and Jacob Toppin has already impressed Dimitris Itoudis
Coffey, meanwhile, is one of the players who needs more time to adapt, but Itoudis has already seen qualities that could accelerate that process. Rather than focusing only on offensive production, the Hapoel Tel Aviv coach highlighted the willingness to take on difficult responsibilities.
“I saw that he is a player who is very competitive. He wants to improve and wants to give his maximum. Whether he needs to go for a rebound, whether he needs to defend the best scorer – that gives me quite a lot of hope when it comes to the amount of time he will need to adapt to the others and to the team system.”
Toppin is another newcomer whose role is already becoming clearer during preseason. Itoudis sees him as capable of playing two positions, although Hapoel has increasingly focused on using him at the four.
“He is an extremely explosive player who can play two positions. But now we have, let’s put it this way, oriented him more toward playing the four. He is doing well. We are still in the ‘honeymoon’ period. The preparation period is the honeymoon. Now the serious things begin.”
