Maccabi Tel Aviv Faces Guard Shortage, Amit Sabo May Debut

Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Amit Sabo is poised for a potential EuroLeague debut against Paris on Thursday, having been registered for the competition for the first time in the 2026/27 season. Sabo joined Maccabi last season but was sidelined by a complex injury, playing only one domestic league game. This season, he has seen increased minutes in domestic play, including 20 minutes in a 120-93 win over Galil Elyon and 21 minutes in a 116-89 victory against Kiryat Ata, where he scored six points and dished out seven assists.

The team is currently experiencing a shortage of guards, with John DiBartolomeo and Ife Lundberg unavailable. This leaves Jimmy Clark, Yam Madar, and Keton Wallace as the only available guards, making Sabo the fourth option. Sabo, who developed in Maccabi's youth system and played in various Israeli leagues before returning to the club, is known as a capable shooter, having shot 38.3% from three-point range in the French league prior to joining Maccabi. However, his three-point shooting in his three games for Maccabi has been limited to 3-of-15.

Sabo's playing style often involves a high volume of three-point attempts, which accounted for 51% of his scoring in France during the 2025/26 season. While he has shot 71% of his attempts from beyond the arc in his limited Maccabi appearances, his aggressive style might suit a fast-paced opponent like Paris. Paris is recognized as one of the quickest teams in the EuroLeague, a style that coach Oded Katash has noted as unique, especially considering Paris has defeated Maccabi four times in the past two seasons.

Maccabi is actively seeking to sign an additional guard from the free-agent market. However, with Lundberg's injury and DiBartolomeo's wife giving birth, Sabo might receive significant playing time. Sabo has prior experience against Paris from his time in the French league, where he scored nine points in a 94-73 loss and 15 points in an 80:96 victory in the French Super Cup, where Nadir Hifi scored 19 points for the opposing team.