Yam Madar Addresses Viral Photo, Maccabi Tel Aviv Move

Israeli basketball player Yam Madar has addressed a viral photo of himself as a child, which some online suggested was AI-generated. Madar explained that he was a fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv as a child and was excited to see cameras during an interview outside the arena, leading him to push his head into the frame. He confirmed that he was a Maccabi fan growing up, despite coming up through the Hapoel Tel Aviv youth system. Madar recently made a high-profile move from Hapoel Tel Aviv to Maccabi Tel Aviv, a transfer that generated significant interest.

Speaking on "Euroleague Studio," Madar expressed his excitement about joining Maccabi and his desire to prove himself in the Euroleague. He acknowledged that his move has upset some Hapoel fans while others have been supportive, and he plans to discuss the reasons behind his decision at a later time. Madar also spoke about his connection with teammate Roman Sorkin, whom he has known from the national team and with whom he spoke extensively over the summer. He is also looking forward to working with coach Oded Katash again, having previously been coached by him on the Israeli national team, and is eager to learn from him.