Red Devils reloaded: the new powerhouse of European basketball?
Although the Israeli basketball club Hapoel Tel Aviv will not play in the EuroLeague next season, it has assembled a star-studded team that could easily challenge for a playoff spot in Europe’s premier competition.
Known as the Red Devils, Hapoel has been a top team in Israel for years but last won the championship 55 years ago. They have never enjoyed significant success in European competitions, with three semifinals to their name, the last of which came 20 years ago.
Now, it’s time for a change.
This summer, Hapoel was one of the most active clubs in Europe on the market. Still, they did not completely overhaul their roster like Partizan Belgrade, nor did they sign one absolute superstar after another like Olympiacos. Yet, under Yannay’s leadership, they have assembled a team that, on paper, is stronger than several other EuroLeague clubs.
Who are Hapoel’s new stars?
Hapoel made eight significant additions this summer. They acquired Noam Yaacov from the EuroLeague club ASVEL Villeurbanne. His stats at the highest level in Europe might seem modest, but in four games where the Israeli-Danish point guard played at least 18 minutes, he averaged eight points and 2.5 assists.
Moreover, it’s impossible to ignore that Yaacov is just 19 years old, and Hapoel’s general manager, George Hinas, considers him one of the biggest talents in Europe. Well, he has to say that, but it’s clear that the Denmark-born youngster is undoubtedly talented.
The 34-year-old playmaker Joe Ragland has played in Europe for 12 years, including two seasons in the EuroLeague. In the last three seasons, the American was one of the biggest stars in the Champions League.
Last spring, the third point guard, Marcus Foster, led Rytas Vilnius to the Lithuanian championship against EuroLeague side Žalgiris Kaunas. The American is an excellent scorer, having averaged 20.6 and 18 points per game in the last two seasons of the Champions League.
Forward Ish Wainright began his professional career in Germany and France before trying for years to break into the NBA. He played in 129 games in the league but never held a significant role, leading him to return to Europe.
Ben Bentil, who won two Greek championships with Panathinaikos, left the EuroLeague last summer after several years to earn big money and shine in Japan. The forward averaged 17 points per game there and shot 44.6% from three.
Now we come to three players whose signings caused quite a stir in Europe. They each earn over a million euros per season, which is anything but typical for a EuroCup team.
Bruno Caboclo is one of the biggest enigmas in basketball. While his skills are unquestionable, the Brazilian is mentally fragile. Last season, he was sometimes one of the EuroLeague’s best big men in Partizan, but he was more often noted for his highly inconsistent performances and amateurish mistakes.
After an individually successful Olympics in Paris, Caboclo tried to return to the NBA and worked out with the Golden State Warriors but did not secure a contract. No worries; he will reportedly pocket around 1.35 million euros at Hapoel.
Hapoel’s first significant summer addition was Johnathan Motley. The center, who occasionally crushed the opposing teams in the EuroLeague for the last two seasons with Fenerbahçe Istanbul, could easily have continued in Europe’s top-tier competition. However, Hapoel’s lucrative offer and an exciting project lured him to Israel.
The club’s most prominent new player is Patrick Beverley. Yes, the American is 36, but his 12 NBA seasons show he is a high-quality guard. And as any NBA fan knows, Beverley was one of the league’s most respected defensive players for years.
It’s worth noting that European basketball is not unfamiliar to Beverley. He started his professional career in Ukraine, followed by seasons in Greece and Russia before breaking into the NBA in 2013. He will earn just over 1.6 million euros for the season at Hapoel.
While a hefty budget is important, it will only be useful if Hapoel has titles to show at the end of the season. That responsibility lies on head coach Stefanos Dedas, who joined the club in mid-April last season and under whose leadership Hapoel put up an intense fight against Maccabi in the Israeli championship finals.
Hapoel has two goals
Ofer Yannay, Hapoel’s owner, has two goals: to dethrone Maccabi and to take the team to the EuroLeague.
On paper, there’s no better time to end Maccabi’s hegemony. This summer, the Israeli giant’s biggest stars left: Wade Baldwin, Lorenzo Brown, Bonzie Colson, and Josh Nebo. Looking at the new additions, Maccabi is taking a step back financially.
While three players at Hapoel earn over a million euros per season, only one does at Maccabi. That is guard Jordan Loyd, who has spent recent years at EuroLeague powerhouse Monaco and has a salary of just under 1.1 million euros.
Of course, this does not mean Maccabi is weak, although simply looking at the rosters, Hapoel’s is more prominent and better. Maccabi still has many players with experience at the highest level in Europe.
As crucial as the Israeli championship is for Hapoel, winning the EuroCup is equally important. Although they have been knocked out in the quarterfinals for the past two seasons, winning the competition is necessary to reach the EuroLeague.
Money, too, is crucial. A EuroLeague team’s minimum budget is seven million euros, but as this summer has shown, that will not be an issue for Hapoel.
