Zach LeDay Compares Himself to Bruce Lee After Hapoel Tel Aviv's EuroLeague Win

American forward Zach LeDay returned to Belgrade, the city where he previously played for Partizan, and helped Hapoel Tel Aviv secure their first EuroLeague victory of the season. Hapoel defeated Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) 81-80 in a dramatic road win.

LeDay, who arrived at the arena nearly two hours before tip-off, spoke to Meridian Sport about the game and his integration into coach Itoudis's new team. "It was a game from which we can learn a lot. We haven't been together for a long time. We are still adjusting to the new team and how to integrate us, the new players, into the system. But it's a great win. It's always nice to win in Belgrade," he stated.

Reflecting on Hapoel's ability to bounce back from their opening loss to Bayern Munich, LeDay expressed his commitment: "We are progressing day by day. I just keep going. I try to be the hardest worker, to come and give everything I have." He added, "I feel like I'm the most prepared and fittest player in Europe, so there aren't many things I haven't seen yet. In the end, I just need to be like Bruce Lee and flow like water."

LeDay admitted his past with Partizan provided extra motivation against Crvena Zvezda. "There was definitely extra motivation. Everyone knows Partizan is my family. It's in my blood for life. That's why it's always nice to come home, play well, and most importantly, win." He noted that Crvena Zvezda is a "completely new team" with many new faces, but his focus remains on Hapoel's development, emphasizing a day-by-day approach to learning and improving.