Maccabi Tel Aviv Begins 2026/27 Season Preparations Amid Roster Gaps and Ownership Dispute

Maccabi Tel Aviv, the reigning Israeli basketball champions, started their training for the 2026/27 season on Thursday at the Hadar Yosef Sports Center. The team’s roster remains incomplete, with several key players absent due to national team duties or injuries. New foreign signings Bonzi Colson, Jimmy Clark, Armando Bacot, and Will Rayman have already arrived, alongside youth players and National League player Brandon Edwards, who joined temporarily to fill gaps.

Notable absences include national team players Yam Madar and Roman Sorkin, as well as foreign players Daniel Theis (with Germany), Afo Lundberg (Denmark), and Jalen Hood-Schifino (France). Injured players T.J. Leaf and Gur Lavi are also sidelined. Despite entering the season as domestic double champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv comes off a disappointing European campaign, finishing with a losing record of 18-20.

The club remains embroiled in a legal battle over ownership between the Recanati family and sponsor Arik Stillman. Head coach Oded Katash expressed optimism about the new season, highlighting the completion of the roster and the retention of key players. He praised the return of Bonzi Colson, emphasizing his expected professional contribution, and welcomed the signing of Yam Madar, noting his talent and recent strong performance.

Regarding the departure of Tamir Blatt to city rivals, Katash clarified that there was no formal decision to part ways with Blatt and that the club had wanted him to stay. He attributed the separation to circumstances beyond the club’s control and declined to elaborate further at this time.