As Maccabi Tel Aviv prepares to open its playoff final series against Hapoel, the club is leaning on Jimmy Clark, the 25-year-old guard who returned from injury and starred against Hapoel Holon. After joining the yellow team only a year and a half ago, Clark has rapidly become one of the most important players on the roster, both on the court and in the locker room.
Clark’s rise has been marked by a major leap in production and responsibility. In the Israeli league he is averaging 5.4 assists per game to just 1.2 turnovers, compared with 3.7 assists and 2.6 turnovers last season. In the EuroLeague he has posted 9.5 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting inside the arc, along with 4.3 assists and 2 turnovers, after averaging 10 points, 4 assists and 2.5 turnovers a year earlier. Maccabi says his minutes increased after Lonnie Walker’s injury, and that he used the opportunity to become a key momentum shifter and late-game performer.
His absence in the final two semifinal games, and several before them, underlined how essential he is to coach Oded Katash’s system. Maccabi has already rewarded him with a significant salary increase and a new contract for three additional seasons, seeing him as a long-term building block. Clark’s only exit clause is linked to his NBA dream, but after some hesitation he chose to stay because he saw Maccabi as the best place to continue developing and establish himself in Europe.
Club sources said he had to mature this season, learn to lead a European team in his second year with the club, and improve mentally. They added, “He made huge progress in the mental part of his game, he is very talented and everyone saw it this season. Game by game he became more and more professional. He developed and improved before our eyes.” Clark has also become a fan favorite, often arriving at the arena on an electric bike and greeting supporters who recognize him from afar. Maccabi now hopes he can carry that form into the championship series and help bring home the title.
