The 2023/24 season is approaching and the preparations of the basketball league teams are in full swing. On the occasion of the "Children Write for the Opening of the School Year" project, during which student Uri Barak accompanied Tomer Givati, Maccabi Tel Aviv opened its doors and gave Israel Hayom an exclusive first glimpse of the Yellows' season-opening training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena.
On the court, we saw new faces alongside familiar figures who continued from last season. The four new acquisition players – Jaciel Rivero, James Webb, Tamir Blatt and Antonius Cleveland – went to their first practice of the season on their home court, and got to know their teammates and professional staff as well as the newcomer to the coaching staff, new assistant coach Guy Panini.
Guy Pnini, his retirement announcement as a basketball player | Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
For Panini, who is taking his first steps into coaching, this year's work will introduce him to quite a few of his teammates last season. "The feeling of working with Guy as our assistant coach is strange and new," team forward Jake Cohen replied with a smile to Uri's question. "Guy was my teammate and dressing room partner for ten years and now he's the assistant coach, it will be a special experience. I'm anxiously waiting for the first video meeting he will give us," Cohen shared.
Winning roster
A line of thought that guided the team's professional staff throughout the season and in the summer was maintaining the skeleton that led the team to the Euroleague playoffs and the championship last season, and indeed on the floor there were eight players who played last season for the club and continued for another season. "Continuity in the squad is very important in order to reach the goals we want," Cohen noted. "All the successful teams in Europe over the years have maintained a skeleton that has led them to achievements."
Unlike last season – when the Yellows suffered from a missing squad during the pre-season due to the European Championship, in which the local players participated in the Israeli national team and Lorenzo Brown in the Spanish national team – this summer Oded Katsch will receive a full squad throughout the pre-season and training matches.
After reaching the fifth game of the EuroLeague playoffs last season and being eliminated by Monaco in a dramatic finale, the club hopes to make the leap this year in order to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2014. "At Maccabi Tel Aviv the goals are always high and clear - we want to always be the best, fight for every title. That's the DNA of the club," Panini said.
In contrast to the lack of activity on the court during the summer months, due to the Euroleague break, behind the scenes the teams worked energetically and carried out unusual arms and procurement campaigns in one of the most active summers the league has known in recent years. Former NBA star Kemba Walker joined Monaco, while other players made their way from the US to the Old Continent, and there were also impressive changes and reinforcements between league teams, such as Nikola Mirotic's move from Barcelona to Milan.
It's just me and my ball. Barak, Photo: Danny Maron
"The feeling is very good"
Despite the competition expected this year in the struggles to get into the playoffs, Cohen remains calm. "We have a number of talents to do special things this year. All teams in the league have, but it all depends on how we play together as a team. The connection and team chemistry is the magic secret that makes the difference between good teams and great, winning teams."
There were quite a few criticisms on social media this summer about the relatively little activity the team did during the "cucumber season", but assistant coach Panini is confident that the team has what it takes to succeed and that the changes made in the summer were right and appropriate.
"The foundation of the group remains and that's important," he explains. "The new players who came in are supposed to upgrade us, make us better than last season, but of course it's about teamwork. We're going to have to help them connect to our system."
In conclusion, Panini shared his feelings from his first days in his new role as assistant coach: "I enjoy it, learn a lot every day and meet new things every training session. The feeling is very good," he told Israel Hayom.
Tomer Givati participated in the preparation of the report
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