Skip to main content

Maccabi Tel Aviv coach David Blatt announces plan to take NBA coaching job

David Blatt coached the Russian national team to a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012. (Marina Kobzeva/Getty Images)

David Blatt coached the Russian national team to a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012. (Marina Kobzeva/Getty Images)

Head coach David Blatt of Israeli Super League team Maccabi Tel Aviv has announced that he will be taking a job in the NBA but has declined to say which team he will be joining, according to the Jerusalem Post's Allon Sinai.

Blatt was born in Massachusetts and played college basketball at Princeton under Pete Carril before heading to Israel - first as a player, then as a coach. He has been awarded Coach of the Year honors four times. In 2014, he won his first Euroleague title with Tel Aviv.

Blatt said the move was not because of a better offer but to fulfill a lifelong goal.

"I'm not leaving Maccabi for a bigger contract. I'm not necessarily leaving for a better place," Blatt continued. "I'm leaving to follow my dream."

SI WIRE: Report: Cavaliers contact Mark Jackson about head coaching vacancy

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.