In about a month, the European Basketball Championship will open in Prague, and as in all recent tournaments, the Israeli national team will also take part.
But surprisingly, this time several players still don't have teams for next season.
Gal Mekel
For the last two campaigns of the Israeli national team, Gal Mekel arrives in a unique situation.
He came to the previous campaign in the World Championship qualifiers after five months in which he did not play.
He comes to this campaign - preparation for the European Championship, which will take place in less than a month - as the only player in the national team who does not yet have a team for next season.
Tonight he and his friends will play their first preparatory game against Auburn College, in preparation for the big mission.
Players in his situation would be under pressure from the situation, but not Mackel who has already been through things in his career.
In fact, the decision not to sign with the team is the 34-year-old coordinator's.
He is probably waiting for the end of the European Championship to make decisions, in the hope that his ability in the championship will give the necessary boost.
He also takes into account that he will not start the season, something that has already happened to him in the past.
Meckle decided to return to play in Israel after almost a decade (gross) abroad. If this had happened in previous summers, he would have been attacked. The fact that he played very little last season due to injuries plays against him this summer.
If one of the big clubs were to go for him, it is likely that he would have already been signed.
He had offers from Bnei Herzliya and Hapoel Haifa, but he decided to wait.
Mekel knows the dynamics in the Israeli league.
Two or three losses, or even a bad ability in preparation for the season, and already the pressure gauge rises and changes are made.
Stick.
A summer full of developments, photo: Oded Karni
Non-binding assessment - Mekel will eventually play for Bnei Herzliya.
Personal opinion - Mekel, who has traveled a lot in his career, needs to find a team that is a home in the last gospel of his career.
Meckle is the highest profile player who does not yet have a team, but there are three other significant players who do not know where they will be.
Michael Brisker
Michael Brisker made a leap last season, in which he played in Galilee/Gilboa, to the top of the Israelis.
He was the best scorer in the league, redeemed his release from Gilboa and it seemed that he would be in great demand.
Jerusalem was strong in the background, but at this stage he is still not signed with any team, and an overseas option is on the agenda.
Michael Brisker.
One of the seniors in the league, photo: Udi Tsitiat
When Adam Ariel returned two years ago to Hapoel Jerusalem, the club where he grew up, it seemed to be an ideal connection for a long time.
After being appointed captain last season, the feeling grew stronger.
In practice, the parties parted this summer (again), and he is also still looking for his future, as going abroad is also possible for him.
Willie Workman
Another person in trouble is Willie Workman.
Last summer, two majors fought for his services: Holon wanted him to continue with them, and Jerusalem offered him a contract, which eventually made him move to the capital.
The problem was that it didn't work in the red uniforms, and here this summer he is stuck.
However, it is likely that a player of his type will eventually be in demand.
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