Dimitris Itoudis and Oded Katash Ranked Among Top EuroLeague Coaches Ahead of New Season

As the new EuroLeague basketball season approaches its late August start, a ranking of the top 20 coaches in the league has been published by basketball sphere, highlighting notable figures including Israeli representatives. Dimitris Itoudis, head coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv, is ranked fourth. His first EuroLeague season with Hapoel was turbulent yet impressive, with the team dominating early months before encountering a significant crisis that sparked media speculation about his potential dismissal. Despite finishing without titles or a Final Four appearance and being eliminated by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, Itoudis's performance is viewed positively given it was Hapoel's debut EuroLeague season and they played most home games away from their usual arena.

Oded Katash, coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv, is placed eighth. Entering his fifth season with Maccabi, Katash is one of the longest-tenured active EuroLeague coaches. He has led Maccabi to playoff appearances in recent seasons despite not having one of the top eight rosters on paper. Last season, he guided Maccabi to a domestic double over a strong Hapoel Tel Aviv side, solidifying his status among Europe's leading coaches.

The full top five coaches are Yorgos Bartzokas (Olympiacos), Sarunas Jasikevicius (Fenerbahce), Zeljko Obradovic (Panathinaikos), Dimitris Itoudis (Hapoel Tel Aviv), and Xavi Pascual (Dynamo Moscow). The list also includes prominent names like Pablo Laso, Pedro Martinez, and Tony Parker, who closes the ranking at 20.

This ranking provides insight into coaching reputations and expectations as the EuroLeague season begins, with Israeli teams represented by two respected coaches facing high anticipation for their performances.