Maccabi Tel Aviv enters the new EuroLeague season with the goal of making significant progress compared to the previous one and securing a spot in the Final Four.
“The Pride of Israel” formed a new team in the past year, and it quickly “clicked,” showcasing to everyone in Europe its readiness for great achievements. Their strong performance on home court primarily contributed to their favorable position in the standings, turning it into an impregnable fortress.
Oded Kattash‘s greatest satisfaction before the start of the new season is the fact that all the top players have extended their contracts with the club. Continuity in their work could be the decisive factor for the Tel Aviv giant in their quest to reach the EuroLeague Final Four.
There is no doubt that the leaders of Maccabi Tel Aviv this season will once again be Wade Baldwin and Lorenzo Brown, who have unfinished business from the previous year.
The core remained the same
Maccabi Tel Aviv demonstrated that a significant turnaround is possible in a single summer, as evidenced in the past season. They signed 11 new players and were just one win away from reaching the Euroleague Final Four. They wisely retained all their key players (Lorenzo Brown, Wade Baldwin, Bonzie Colson), and when they realized there weren’t many better options on the market, they also extended Josh Nebo‘s contract. It’s widely believed that achieving an upgrade and contending for the Final Four will require a stronger supporting cast, and Maccabi has done an excellent job in the transfer market.
Jasiel Rivero is certainly a better option and will contribute more than Alex Poythress. James Webb is a more versatile player than Jarell Martin, and Antonius Cleveland is tasked with not repeating Darrun Hilliard‘s mistakes. The signing of Tamir Blatt makes sense for various reasons, and it can be said that Maccabi has assembled a highly competitive team. However, one thing to keep in mind is that this season’s EuroLeague is much more competitive than last season.
Many teams that finished behind Maccabi in the standings have invested significantly during the summer and enter the season with even greater ambitions than “The Pride of Israel.” Some of these teams include Fenerbahce, Partizan, Panathinaikos, Milano and Crvena Zvezda. It will be extremely challenging not only to maintain their fifth-place position from last season but even to qualify for the quarterfinals. Last season, Maccabi had a 15-2 record at home, and replicating that in this competitive field will be nearly impossible. If at any point during the season, Brown or Baldwin were to suffer injuries, they could easily slide out of the top 10.
Euroleague preview – Maccabi Tel Aviv: Roster for the upcoming season
John DiBartolomeo /183cm/ – ISR
Tamir Blatt /185cm/ – ISR
Wade Baldwin /193cm/ – USA
Lorenzo Brown /196cm/ – USA
Antonius Cleveland /196cm/ – USA
Bonzie Colson /198cm/ – USA
Will Rayman /203cm/ – USA
James Webb /206cm/ – USA
Jasiel Rivero /206cm/ – CUB
Josh Nebo /206cm/ – USA
Roman Sorkin /208cm/ – ISR
Jake Cohen /210cm/ – ISR
Departures: Austin Hollins, Jalen Adams, Darrun Hilliard, Yiftach Ziv, Alex Poythress, Jarell Martin
Arrivals: Jasiel Rivero, James Webb, Will Rayman, Antonius Cleveland, Tamir Blatt
Euroleague Preview – Maccabi Tel Aviv: Greatest success in the competition
Over its 91-year-long basketball history, Maccabi Tel Aviv has established itself as one of the most successful clubs in Europe. There’s no need to dwell on their domestic trophy count, which stands at over 100, but in the realm of the EuroLeague, they have secured six titles.
“The Pride of Israel” first ascended to the top of European basketball in 1977, a season marked by an intriguing showdown with CSKA Moscow. The political situation at the time prevented Moscow from playing in Tel Aviv, and on the other side, visas for Maccabi players to potentially travel to Russia were denied. The game ultimately took place in Belgium (Virton), and Maccabi Tel Aviv’s victory marked a turning point in building the brand they are today.
Their triumph in the final against Varese (78:77) was considered the club’s greatest achievement only four years after their first title. In 1981, Maccabi Tel Aviv overcame a half-point deficit to defeat Bologna, claiming their second EuroLeague trophy. However, there followed a 20-year drought in European titles.
Maccabi Tel Aviv made a triumphant return to the biggest stage in the early 21st century, securing three EuroLeague titles from 2000 to 2005. “The Pride of Israel” continued to be a regular presence in the Final Four in subsequent seasons but only clinched another European championship in 2014 under the coaching of David Blatt.
When all is said and done, while it may seem on paper that Maccabi’s greatest success was winning two consecutive EuroLeague titles under coach Pini Gershon in 2004 and 2005, the trophy from 1977 was actually the pivotal moment in the history of the Tel Aviv giants.
Few words about the head coach – Oded Kattash
There isn’t much to say about Oded Kattash’s coaching career as it has primarily been associated with Israeli clubs. His first coaching job was with Hapoel Galil, and later, he managed Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Eliat and Hapoel Tel Aviv, among others. His only foreign coaching stint was with Panathinaikos in 2021, with the added note that he once played for Panathinaikos under the coaching of Zeljko Obradovic.
In 2022, the leaders of Maccabi Tel Aviv decided to give Kattash an opportunity, which he made the most of. He concluded the season as a participant in the EuroLeague playoffs, won the Israeli championship, and experienced a defeat in the national Cup final against Hapoel Jerusalem.
EuroLeague Preview – Maccabi Tel Aviv: Expectations
It’s difficult to predict the ultimate achievements of “The Pride of Israel” at this moment, given that the competition in the EuroLeague is significantly different from the previous season. It can be said that Maccabi Tel Aviv has done everything within their power in terms of retaining the core of the team and bringing in certain reinforcements.
There’s no doubt that the Tel Aviv giant will be one of the serious contenders for a playoff spot, but it seems that they will have a tougher task ahead of them this year compared to the previous one. If Kattash’s team does reach the quarterfinals, the crucial factor will be whether they have the advantage of home court or not.
All in all, after many years of “wandering,” Maccabi Tel Aviv has a clearly defined path they are following, but the question remains in what form they will find themselves facing significantly strengthened competitors.