No NBA comeback for Israeli coach Blatt as he signs with Greek team
Former Cleveland Cavaliers basketball coach to reportedly earn $1.8 million with move to Olympiacos Piraeus
Apparently abandoning his dream of returning to the NBA next year, American-Israeli basketball coach David Blatt on Wednesday signed a two-year contract to coach Greek team Olympiacos Piraeus, the Euroleague website announced.
Ynet news site reported that he is expected to earn $1.8 million from the deal (a potential $2.3 million with bonuses).
Olympiacos Piraeus is the tenth team Blatt has coached in his career.
He spent the last two years helming Darussafaka Istanbul after he was unceremoniously booted from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 midway through their historic championship season. He led them to victory in the second tier level EuroCup competition earlier this year.
He will be Olympiacos Piraeuss second Israeli coach, following Pini Gershon, whom Blatt served with as assistant coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv, and who led the Greek team from 2006-2008.
In April Blatt was asked in an interview with Hadashot TV news if he sought to return to coach in the American National Basketball Association league. He replied, “That’s my goal. I said so last year too.”
Blatt played for many years in Israel’s Super League, then went on to serve as head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israel’s national team.
He has also coached Dynamo St. Petersburg, Benetton Treviso, Russia, Efes Pilsen, Dynamo Moscow and Greek team Aris Thessaloniki.