Maccabi Tel Aviv star Roman Sorkin said in an interview on Thursday that Hapoel Tel Aviv’s EuroLeague place is good for Israeli basketball, and he used the opportunity to praise several of the city rival’s players. Speaking on “5 Be’Air,” Sorkin reviewed the season he and Maccabi went through and said the team was focused on its own problems rather than on what Hapoel was doing.
Sorkin said the rivalry mattered, but Maccabi had bigger internal issues and limited time to dwell on the other club. “We were trying to reach our goals this season,” he said, adding that Maccabi were not far from the playoffs and “almost reached” that target. He also said, “Respect to Hapoel, rivalry or not rivalry, it is good for Israeli basketball that there is another team in the EuroLeague. What they did is not to be taken for granted.”
Asked about Hapoel’s Israeli players, Sorkin said many are his friends and that he encouraged them. He mentioned Tomer Ginat as having played well at the start of the season, but reserved his strongest praise for Yam Madar. “Yam Madar is the best Israeli player in the league? In my opinion, it is him,” Sorkin said. “He is a star.”
Sorkin said Madar had a difficult situation early in the year and “chased the season,” but predicted he would settle in and find his way. “He is an amazing player,” Sorkin said, calling him a “super player” who will work things out.
