Ex-Hapoel Tel Aviv Player Jonathan Motley Criticized Harshly in Serbia

Jonathan Motley, formerly of Hapoel Tel Aviv, is facing severe criticism in Serbia following a dismal EuroLeague debut for his new team, Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade). The team lost its opening game of the 2026-27 EuroLeague season at home to Zalgiris Kaunas, 83-77.

Motley's performance was particularly poor, with the American center scoring only 2 points, committing 6 turnovers, and accumulating 5 fouls. His efficiency rating was a dismal -13, reportedly the second-worst in EuroLeague history. Serbian media outlets did not hold back in their assessments.

The newspaper Telegraf described Motley's game as one he would want to forget, highlighting his struggles against Zalgiris's center, Jonas Valanciunas, and stating he failed to provide the solutions Red Star needed. Sportal echoed these sentiments, calling it a debut to forget and noting that Motley's statistics would take time to recover from such a display.

Kurir labeled Motley a "criminal" for his "shocking display," asserting that little went right for him and the numbers confirmed his poor performance. Mondo questioned his mental suitability for the EuroLeague, suggesting that while he has talent, his mental game is regressing and Red Star cannot rely on him, necessitating the signing of another center.