Dimitris Itoudis Proposes EuroLeague Reserve Teams for Domestic Leagues

Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Dimitris Itoudis has proposed a revolutionary restructuring of European basketball, suggesting that EuroLeague clubs establish dedicated reserve teams to compete exclusively in domestic leagues.

Speaking in an extensive interview with Eurohoops, the Greek tactician argued that creating farm teams such as "Hapoel Tel Aviv 2" or "Panathinaikos 2" would completely decouple intense continental commitments from localized roster restrictions.

The proposal comes at a sensitive juncture for Israeli basketball. Itoudis recently faced intense public scrutiny after fielding a 12-foreign-player roster without a single Israeli representative in victories over Besiktas and Panathinaikos.

Critiquing strict domestic regulations, Itoudis noted that the EuroLeague imposes no such constraints. "In the EuroLeague, nobody tells a coach to play someone based on superficial reasons like a passport, beard color, or hair, whether Greek, Turkish, German, or Spanish," he stated.

The coach emphasized that conflicting rules make management extremely difficult. "We all play under the same rules in the EuroLeague, but when we return to our countries, the regulations change, creating massive inequality in managerial capabilities."

Itoudis remains confident that his model is politically viable. He believes open dialogue with sports ministries, European authorities, and politicians can foster the necessary understanding to let basketball grow.