The explosive big man comes off an outstanding first season in the EuroLeague
Maccabi inks Jaylen Hoard to contract extension

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Jaylen Hoard will remain together for three more seasons after agreeing to a contract extension.
Hoard (2.04 meters, 26 years old) had one year remaining on the original deal he signed last summer and now he can call Tel Aviv home till at least 2028. The big man was ninth in the league in performance index rating for Maccabi last season with 17.5 per game and second in steals with 1.3 per game. He also averaged 14.7 points and 5.0 rebounds over 24 games. A hamstring injury sidelined Hoard for much of the second half of the season.
"I’m very proud and grateful to continue this journey with Maccabi," Hoard said on the team's web site. "We have unfinished business, and the focus is clear: to reach our goals and keep moving forward. To our fans and community, your passion motivates us and we feel it every day. I miss you guys and I will see you soon. Tzahov Ole."
"Jaylen Hoard became a pillar of Maccabi last season, and we are all happy he’s staying with us," Coach Oded Kattash added. "We saw tremendous qualities from him on both ends of the court and also off the court. He connected with the club and the team’s system excellently, and continuing with him is very important for us."
A native of France, Hoard spent one year playing college basketball in the United States for Wake Forest University. After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, he played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA and Texas in the G League. Hoard then signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in December 2020, where he spent the next season and a half. Hoard averaged 14.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Thunder in seven games during the 2021-22 campaign. Hoard first came to Tel Aviv in the summer of 2022 when he signed for Maccabi's rival, Hapoel, for which he played two seasons.