Fenerbahce Omits Formal Farewell for Bonzi Colson Amid Return to Maccabi Tel Aviv

Bonzi Colson, an American basketball player, recently rejoined Maccabi Tel Aviv after two seasons with Turkish club Fenerbahce. Colson left Maccabi Tel Aviv two years ago to join Fenerbahce, where he played intermittently. This summer, eight players departed Fenerbahce, including Brandon Boston, Armando Bacot, Gilson Bango, Arturs Zagars, Devon Hall, Cam Birce, and Nando De Colo, who retired from basketball.

Unlike the other seven players, who each received official farewells from Fenerbahce through special posts and photos on the club’s website and social media, Colson did not receive any formal goodbye. This omission came just two days after Maccabi Tel Aviv officially announced Colson’s signing. All players, except De Colo who retired, ended their contracts with Fenerbahce.

Colson was part of the Fenerbahce team that won the EuroLeague, making the lack of a formal farewell notable. Speculation has arisen that the absence of a farewell might be related to Colson’s move to Israel amid a politically sensitive period, though no official explanation has been provided. The club’s farewells to the other departing players were publicly shared, highlighting the unusual nature of Colson’s exclusion.