Hapoel Jerusalem appoints Sasha Obradovic as head coach for three years

Hapoel Jerusalem announced on Monday that Sasha Obradovic has been named head coach for the next three seasons, as the club launches a new project built around the 57-year-old Serbian. Obradovic, regarded as one of Europe’s top basketball coaches, will earn a net salary of $750,000 per season and is expected to move to Jerusalem with his wife in August.

The club has also promised a player budget comparable to a EuroLeague team, with plans to sign several players on salaries above $1 million a year. Jerusalem also expects to add at least one senior Israeli assistant coach to the staff. Obradovic arrived after leaving Red Star Belgrade, bringing more than two decades of coaching experience and a résumé that includes Monaco, Alba Berlin, Lokomotiv Kuban and Red Star.

His biggest achievement came with Monaco, which he turned into one of the EuroLeague’s leading sides and guided to a historic Final Four in the 2022/23 season. He has also won two French championships, a French Cup, a German league title, four German Cups and a Russian Cup. In 2018, he was named EuroCup Coach of the Year after a successful season with Lokomotiv Kuban.

After signing, Obradovic said he chose Hapoel Jerusalem because of the club’s vision, standards and high ambitions. He added that the goal is to build a strong, talented and fighting team that will compete for every title, and said he is eager to meet the fans and represent them proudly. Owner Matan Adelson said the appointment shows the club’s determination to fulfill its lofty goals and take Jerusalem to the highest levels of European basketball as soon as possible.

Alongside the coaching change, Jerusalem is in advanced talks with American guard Jaylen Smith. The 30-year-old, who is 1.93 meters tall, played for Turk Telekom last season and impressed in both the Turkish league and EuroCup. He also scored 25 points against Jerusalem in last season’s EuroCup quarterfinal, and could become one of Obradovic’s first signings.