Former Player Calls Hapoel Tel Aviv Fans 'Craziest' He's Played For

Former basketball player Mark Lyons, who played in Israel for several teams including Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Rishon LeZion, and Bnei Herzliya, described the Hapoel Tel Aviv fanbase as the "craziest" he has ever played for. In his personal podcast, Lyons recalled intense game environments with Hapoel Tel Aviv, mentioning instances of flares being thrown and fans displaying disrespect, even in relation to a personal tragedy of an opposing team's official. He described games against Maccabi Tel Aviv as being "like a movie" and recounted incidents where objects like lighters and coins were thrown onto the court, necessitating the team's retreat to the locker room.

Lyons also shared an anecdote about the early career of Yam Madar, a young player he played with at Hapoel Tel Aviv. Lyons stated that the coach at the time wanted Madar to play ahead of him, leading to the coach's dismissal and the hiring of a Greek coach. Lyons described his own performance in his first game under the new coach against Hapoel Jerusalem as his best game ever, achieving a double-double and celebrating his 30th birthday, which he humorously linked to an "existential crisis" about his basketball career.

Lyons had a notable career in Israel, including being part of the Maccabi Rishon LeZion team that won its first-ever championship. He played in the Israeli Basketball Premier League for multiple seasons before retiring at the age of 37.