The roster is loaded with NBA-caliber newcomers, but most lack EuroLeague reps. Will the risk pay off?
Maccabi’s calculated gamble: Can talent trump experience?
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5 Mins read
It’s not unusual to see a EuroLeague team overhaul its roster in one summer. In fact, over the past decade, Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv has done it more than once. But this summer feels different.
Under new general manager Claudio Coldebella, five of Maccabi’s first six signings had never played in the EuroLeague. The lone exception, Lonnie Walker, suited up for just half a season with Zalgiris Kaunas.
It’s undeniably a gamble. But like any gamble, it comes with both risk and potential reward. Here's a breakdown of who Maccabi has brought in, the questions surrounding the new roster, and the upside that could change the equation.
Maccabi’s 2025–26 roster
Following the recent addition of Uros Trifunovic, Maccabi now has 14 players under contract. However, it’s widely expected that one of them – Rokas Jokubaitis – will soon leave for another EuroLeague team. Meanwhile, an additional center is likely to join before training camp opens.
Assuming that scenario plays out, Maccabi would return six players from last season: guards Tamir Blatt, John DiBartolomeo and Jimmy Clark, and forwards Roman Sorkin, Jaylen Hoard and Will Rayman. Of the seven newcomers, only two have EuroLeague experience: Walker and Trifunovic. The latter logged 54 appearances for Partizan Mozzart Belgrade from 2022 to 2024.
The rest are EuroLeague rookies. That said, three – Jeff Dowtin Jr., Oshae Brissett and T.J. Leaf – bring notable NBA résumés, while big man Marcio Santos arrives from the BKT EuroCup. Israeli forward Gur Lavy, 24, remains an intriguing option with minimal experience at the top level.
What are the risks?
Overhauling more than half of a roster is always risky, though recent history suggests it can work. Just ask Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, who pulled it off en route to the title two seasons ago. Still, Maccabi’s approach is unique.
Chief among the concerns is the plan to give major minutes to Dowtin at point guard. Very few American point guards have entered the EuroLeague without prior international experience and immediately made a major impact. Tyus Edney was the last to truly do so.
There have been American stars, no doubt. But many followed a different path. The likes of Mike James, J.R. Holden, Terrell McIntyre and T.J. Shorts played for other clubs in Europe before reaching the EuroLeague. For Shane Larkin and Wade Baldwin, the breakout came in the second season, while Kendrick Nunn and Trajan Langdon played off ball.
Maccabi will be counting on Dowtin to buck that trend – and potentially to do it surrounded by players with little or no EuroLeague experience. Picture a lineup of Dowtin, Walker, Brissett, Leaf and Santos. The talent is there. The experience in the competition is not.
Calculated risks, not blind faith
To its credit, Maccabi knows what it’s doing. Dowtin brings something the team felt it lacked at point guard: size.
After an impressive debut season in Tel Aviv, Jokubaitis was in line for a new contract in June. But when the conflict with Iran led to the Israeli League canceling its playoffs – and most foreign players, including Jokubaitis, leaving the country – his stance on returning changed. Despite being under contract, he now appears headed elsewhere.
At 1.93 meters, Jokubaitis offered the length to share the court with shorter guards like Blatt and DiBartolomeo. A smaller replacement would have created a logjam. Maccabi prioritized finding a point guard who could also slide to the ‘2’. Enter Dowtin.
There’s also built-in chemistry. Dowtin spent part of last season with both Walker and Brissett on the Philadelphia 76ers. He logged 83:29 of court time alongside Walker across 10 games, including a 30-point explosion in one of his final appearances. He also shared the floor for over 42 minutes with Brissett. Those minutes matter – especially for a team light on EuroLeague experience.
The potential payoff
Last season, Paris Basketball showed that experience isn’t everything. Despite having one of the lowest budgets in the competition, the EuroCup champs reached the EuroLeague Playoffs by leveraging speed, athleticism, and efficiency.
Could Maccabi do the same? With Oded Kattash – an offensive savant both as a player and coach – why not? The goal may not be to adapt to the EuroLeague's style, but to force the league to adapt to Maccabi’s.
Dowtin, of course, still has a learning curve. So does Walker, even after flashes of brilliance with Zalgiris. But when Walker got going last season, he was nearly unstoppable. With a full preseason under his belt, he could emerge as one of the league’s premier scorers – and make life easier for his teammates in the process.
Leaf and Brissett also bring untapped potential. Leaf, a former NBA first-round pick, has a natural connection to the team; he was born in Tel Aviv, played for Israel’s youth teams alongside Blatt, and his father Brad was once teammates with Tamir Blatt’s father, David.
This isn’t a blind leap. It’s a calculated risk. One that might just reshape what we think is possible for a EuroLeague roster.
Whether it works or not, it’s going to be fascinating to watch.