Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv
Founded in 1935, Hapoel Tel Aviv is one of Israel’s most storied basketball clubs, boasting five national championships and four State Cups. For decades, the Reds have stood as the country’s second-most successful team, with their fierce rivalry against Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv producing some of the most intense and memorable derby games in Israeli sports history. Hapoel first appeared on the continental stage in the 1960s and 1970s, competing in the Champions Cup and later the Korac Cup, where it reached the semifinals in 1980 with Barry Leibowitz as its biggest star. The club remained a regular contender domestically, but financial troubles in the early 2000s forced it out of the top flight for several years. A revival began in the 2010s with the support of a strong fan base and new investment, leading to a return to Israel's top flight. In recent years, Hapoel has reestablished itself as a force in European competition. The summer of 2024 proved a turning point: the signing of Johnathan Motley, followed by the arrival of celebrated coach Dimitris Itoudis, helped power the club to its first BKT EuroCup title and secure a berth in the 2025–26 EuroLeague. A bold offseason move to add former EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic signaled that Hapoel’s ambitions now extend to the highest level of European basketball.
