Ex-Player Calls Hapoel Tel Aviv Fans 'Craziest' He Played For
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Mark Lyons called Hapoel Tel Aviv fans the "craziest" he played for.
- He recalled fans throwing objects and showing disrespect to rivals.
- Lyons also discussed his experience with young player Yam Madar.
- A standout game helped Lyons overcome a career crisis at age 30.
Former basketball player Mark Lyons, who played in Israel for Maccabi Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Bnei Herzliya, reflected on his career in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Lyons described the Hapoel Tel Aviv fan base as the "craziest" he ever played for, recalling incidents where lighters and coins were thrown at players, necessitating the team's retreat to the locker room. He also mentioned an instance where fans allegedly cursed at a rival team's official, whose son had recently passed away.
Lyons also shared his experience with young player Yam Madar during his time at Hapoel Tel Aviv. He noted that the coach initially favored Madar, leading to the coach's dismissal and the hiring of a Greek coach. The new coach instructed Lyons to lead the team, and in his first game under the new coach, against Hapoel Jerusalem, Lyons achieved a double-double. He identified this game as his best, coinciding with his 30th birthday and a period of self-doubt about his basketball future, which the performance helped alleviate.
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