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

As the new EuroLeague basketball season approaches at the end of August 2026, a ranking of the top 20 coaches in Europe has been published by Basketball Sphere, highlighting notable figures including Israeli representatives. Dimitris Itoudis, head coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv, secured fourth place. His debut EuroLeague season with Hapoel was described as turbulent yet impressive, with the team dominating early months before facing a significant crisis that sparked frequent speculation about his potential dismissal. Despite finishing without titles or a Final Four appearance and being eliminated by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, Itoudis was praised for his coaching prowess, especially given Hapoel's challenges such as playing most home games away from their usual arena.

Oded Katash, coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, ranked eighth. Entering his fifth season with Maccabi, Katash is noted for his longevity and resilience under intense pressure. He led Maccabi to EuroLeague playoffs in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons despite not having a top-tier roster, earning him strong fan support. Last season, Katash guided Maccabi to a domestic double, defeating a highly regarded Hapoel Tel Aviv, further cementing his status among Europe's leading coaches.

The full top five coaches are Yorgos Bartzokas (Olympiacos) at first, Sarunas Jasikevicius (Fenerbahce) second, Zeljko Obradovic (Panathinaikos) third, followed by Itoudis and then Xavi Pascual (Dubai). Other notable coaches in the top 20 include Pedro Martinez (Real Madrid), Pablo Laso (Anadolu Efes), and Tony Parker (Villeurbanne) at twentieth. This ranking sets the stage for an exciting EuroLeague season with a mix of veteran and emerging coaching talents.