By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Dimitris Itoudis is officially the new coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv with the club welcoming him via social media.
Per Eurohoops sources, the Greek coach signed a record deal of 4,6 million euros, one million for the rest of the season, and 1,8 per year for the next two with the goal of bringing the team to the EuroLeague.
Stefanos Dedas remains on the team as his top assistant, working with Itoudis again as it happened in CSKA and Fenerbahce.
The money involved in the deal is unprecedented, especially for the EuroCup, however, they totally make sense considering Itoudis’ achievements.
In the top-tier level of Euroleague Basketball, Itoudis coached Fenerbahce Beko from the top of the 2022-23 season until being dismissed early in the 2023-24 campaign.
His previous run at CSKA between 2014 and 2022 was highlighted by the championship expeditions in 2016 and 2019. Working under Zeljko Obradovic at Panathinaikos from 1999 to 2012, the successful combination resulted in five EuroLeague championships.
Itoudis is also the president of the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board.
Making Hapoel Tel Aviv “a leading EuroLeague team”
As coach Dimitris Itoudis said after the announcement: “The vision and plans presented to me by owner Ofer Yanai were the main reasons for my decision to come to Hapoel Tel Aviv. A club with an ambition to reach the top that matches my philosophy and career. Building something big is more difficult but at the same time very satisfying and challenging. Although I could have waited for an offer from a leading Euroleague team, I chose, together with the team owners, management, players, and our fans, to turn Hapoel Tel Aviv into a leading Euroleague team on its own.”
CEO of Hapoel Tel Aviv, Tzachi Reichenstein added: “The signing of coach Itoudis proves, once again, the desire and great effort of the management to do everything in order to meet the goals set for the Hapoel Tel Aviv club. The team continues to promote positive processes to position itself alongside the major teams on the continent. Good luck to all of us, and let’s go Hapoel”.