Yonatan Alon Recounts Jerusalem Exit, Playoff Turmoil and Season Reflections

In a wide-ranging interview on the Walla sports program “Double Dribble,” Yonatan Alon spoke shortly after leaving Hapoel Jerusalem, the club he calls home, and gave a candid account of a turbulent season and his future. Alon, one of the most talked-about coaches in Israel, addressed fan criticism, interviews that got out of control, the moment he realized he would not be with Jerusalem next season, and his coaching philosophy. He also discussed foreign players Jared Harper, Anthony Lamb and Kadin Carrington.

Alon described the dramatic events after Game 1 of the playoff semifinal against Hapoel Tel Aviv. According to him, one of the foreign players stood up and said, “I’m done,” and he also talked about Jerusalem’s decision not to take the court in the fourth quarter, and whether the club was dragged along by the players. The interview also touched on a contest and quiz tied to a chance to win a double package for the World Cup quarterfinals.

The coach did not shy away from harder questions, including whether his tenure in Jerusalem should be considered a failure. He also spoke about his relationships with Dan Shamir, Gal Mekel and Matan Adelson, and revisited his most painful memory, the famous basket that knocked Jerusalem out of the EuroCup.

Toward the end, Alon looked ahead to the playoff final and the balance of power between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv. He said he could not help but be impressed by the performances of Yam Madar.