By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
In what Looks like a surprising move to try landing in the NBA, some former players in Europe suited up for the Israeli second-division team Maccabi Ra’Anana, losing 135-103 against the Brooklyn Nets in a preseason friendly game.
Among them, the former AS Monaco and Panathinaikos offensive weapon Dwayne Bacon provided 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 8/16 from the field. Next to him, the former Golden State Warriors 27-year-old guard Quinndary Weatherspoon added 17 points and 4 assists.
After a controversial summer with Reyer Venice, leaving the Italian team following the 2023 FIBA World Cup with the Brazilian national team without playing one single minute in Italy, Bruno Caboclo had 8 points and 7 rebounds for the Israeli side. “We are working on a solution. We’re moving on to protect the image and rights of our club”, Reyer Venice’s president Federico Casarin commented on the matter to Il Gazzettino.
Landing in the US three days before Hamas terror attacks in Israel, the team was concerned about whether to step on the court for their preseason duties or to cancel the games. In the end, they opted for the first option. “We are the first team that is playing since the war started and nobody will break Israel, because we are a strong nation”, head coach Yehu Orland commented.
The Israeli team will now continue its tour in the United States to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves in their second-straight NBA Preseason journey.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague