EuroLeague season preview: Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Israeli champion Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv enters the 2023-24 campaign full of hope with the vast majority of its team back after coming within a few baskets of reaching the Final Four. Maccabi led with 4 minutes remaining in Game 5 of its playoff series against AS Monaco only to see its hopes of reaching Kaunas disappear.
Now Maccabi will look to end a decade-long Final Four drought, its last appearance came in 2014 when it won the crown the club's sixth continental crown. And Coach Oded Kattash and co. believe they have all the tools to get to Berlin.
Eight players return
Having eight players back on the roster this season is something not seen in Tel Aviv since the Anthony Parker- and Nikola Vujcic- led teams of the mid-2000s. The duo of Wade Baldwin and Lorenzo Brown is in the conversation for the best backcourt in the EuroLeague and forward Bonzie Colson comes off a fantastic debut season in Europe's premier competition.
Big men Josh Nebo and Roman Sorkin are still trending up after just two EuroLeague campaigns, while veterans John DiBartolomeo, Jake Cohen, and Rafi Menco all play impactful roles under Kattash's system.
Talented additions
Maccabi made key additions all over the court. Jasiel Rivero promises to be a main fixture in the paint and James Webb is a top-tier inside-outside option at the "four". Playmaker Tamir Blatt gives the team a different offensive look off the bench while swingman Antonius Cleveland promises to make waves on both ends of the floor.
The X-factor could be in the stands; Maccabi had the best home record in the EuroLeague last season at 15-2 and Maccabi has already sold out Menorah Mivtachim Arena for all of its home games this season. If that fortress remains intact, Maccabi could be well on its ways to achieving its goals.