Maccabi Tel Aviv will begin yet another Euroleague season on Thursday when it hosts ASVEL Villeurbanne at its home away from home, the Aleksandar Nikolic Pionir Hall in Belgrade, Serbia.
This marks the second season since the war with Hamas began on October 7 of last year. The yellow-and-blue lost several top-tier players, including Lorenzo Brown, Wade Baldwin, and Bonzie Colson, among others, and brought in new faces to replace them.
One of the players making his Euroleague debut is Will Rayman, a naturalized Israeli forward whom Maccabi signed to a long-term deal at the end of the 2022/23 season after a successful campaign with Hapoel Haifa. Maccabi then loaned him out to Saint Quentin in France to gain European experience.
There’s no question that the 27-year-old, who has stepped up in the preseason, will get his opportunity to be a key player for the yellow-and-blue, especially as several squad members have been hit by the injury bug.
Just ahead of tip-off, The Jerusalem Post spoke with Rayman about his career so far, his journey to the Euroleague, and his anticipation to showcase his talents on the continental stage.
“I’m really excited,” Rayman began at Maccabi’s training facility in Midtown Tel Aviv, just a block away from the Azrieli Towers. “I signed a couple of years ago and played in France last year, so I’ve kind of just been waiting for this. Obviously, I was super focused last year in France, but it was always in the back of my mind to come back here and back to Israel, so I’m really excited.”
So far, Rayman has enjoyed his time with the yellow-and-blue, both with his teammates and the fans.
“It feels great to be part of the team so far. The guys are great, the coaching staff is really smart – a super professional club. It’s been really good so far. Seeing the fans was awesome. Just getting a little taste of them, seeing how much they love Maccabi, and even just cheering during practice for maybe 20 or 30 minutes, it felt like they’ve been here the whole time.”
Rayman, whose father is a journalist for the New York Daily News and whose mother owns Soho Press, began playing basketball as a child while growing up in New York. “I started when I was really young, maybe 4 or 5. Growing up in New York City, the basketball culture is huge. My dad played a little bit in college, so it was always there for me. I fell in love with the game playing outside in Rucker Park and West Fourth Street – small street tournaments. I kept playing, got better, and just carried on.”
Rayman continued playing in college
From the streets of New York, Rayman went on to college, where he continued developing his game.
“I had a really good career at Colgate, and from my freshman year, I always wanted to be a professional basketball player. I just didn’t know what level that would be. My coaches in college always pushed me to keep getting better because they knew I had the potential to play after I finished school.”
“Of course, everybody wants to play in the NBA, but if you can’t play in the NBA, you want to play at the second-highest level or as close as you can get. I feel like the Euroleague is the closest.”
Due to the Law of Return, many basketball players with Jewish roots choose to play in Israel, as they can obtain Israeli citizenship and not count against the import quota in domestic play. With that, Rayman became a wanted man, and Hapoel Haifa’s coach Elad Hasin brought the forward up to the Carmel Mountain a few years ago.
Ironically, Rayman’s debut for Haifa was against Maccabi Tel Aviv at Yad Eliyahu.
“That was crazy. I probably only had four practices, but I remember getting out there and being so excited to play basketball. On the first play, I got an offensive rebound and an and-one – that’s what I remember the most.”
Later that season, Haifa pulled off a stunning upset over Maccabi, a moment Rayman recalls vividly.
“I remember Amit Simhon’s 41 points, and it was crazy because his brother was turning 43 that day. I still think about it all the time. That was a crazy game. It was the first time I beat a Euroleague team, so that was big news for me.”
After two seasons with Hapoel Haifa, Rayman moved to France and Saint Quentin, where he continued developing, preparing for his eventual return to Maccabi Tel Aviv and a key role in the yellow-and-blue machine.
“Going to France was always part of the plan. When Maccabi approached me, they told me I’d be loaned out in the first year, no matter what. I was excited to play in France, too – I’d never lived or been there before, so it was cool to experience a new culture and new teammates.”
While Rayman was just beginning his French League season, October 7 hit, and Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, throwing him for a loop.
“It caught me off guard, like most people in Israel. I have a lot of friends here, so I was really concerned and kind of out of it for a couple of weeks. I had some bad practices, and I didn’t play well in a couple of games because my focus wasn’t there. Eventually, I understood that all my friends in Israel were okay, but they had friends in some pretty bad situations. It was tough, especially being in France and not being able to help. I decided to do what I could – posting on Instagram, Twitter – making sure people knew Israel was fighting for its right to live.”
One of Rayman’s teammates in Saint Quentin was Israeli Iftach Ziv, who will be playing with Hapoel Holon this coming season and was also part of Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier in the decade.
“Iftach is an amazing guy and an amazing teammate. It was nice because the city was small, so you couldn’t make many friends outside the team. It was great that we both had lived in Israel before and knew the same people. He’s a great player, and I’m excited for him in Holon – I think he’ll have a really good year.”
Rayman also spent the 2020/21 season with BC Gottingen in Germany, where another rising Israeli, Ben Saraf, will play for Ulm.
“I played in the German league five years ago, but I didn’t have a great experience. I think Ben will do really well. The Israeli and German leagues are pretty similar. There are a couple of top teams, and Ulm is good, so I think he’ll thrive there.”
Rayman is now learning from a new head coach in Oded Katash, who brings a wealth of knowledge to the court.
“He’s a very smart, cerebral guy. He’s incorporated a good rhythm into the offense. I’m just trying to learn from him and pick up on the small details because he’s such a great coach and was a great player too.”
Maccabi captain John Dibartolomeo and Jake Cohen are also naturalized Israelis who have been with the club for many years, a potential blueprint for Rayman’s career, though he’s focused on taking things one step at a time.
“I’m just trying to take it one day at a time. I want to keep getting better every day and help the team as much as I can. I can’t predict the future, but I can focus on the moment and do my best now.”
Last summer, Rayman was called up to the Israel National Team and looked set to be an integral piece, but his time with the blue-and-white was cut short by injury.
“I was so mad when I got hurt last summer. I couldn’t believe it, but everything happens for a reason. Maybe I’ll get another chance, maybe not, but even in the week I was there, it was a great experience, and I’m grateful for it.”
Rayman can play both small and power forward for Maccabi and is versatile in his shooting and movement inside. “For now, I’ve been playing mostly 3-4, but I’ll play wherever they want me. My strengths? Defense – I can switch multiple positions, guard 1 through 5, I’m a good catch-and-shoot shooter, I crash for rebounds, and I’ll battle down low. I’ll dive for loose balls and do whatever it takes to help the team.”
With a love for the beach and long walks, Israel seems like the perfect place for Rayman. Playing for Maccabi may just help him achieve his dreams.
“To win championships – that’s it. I just want to fulfill my potential and become the best player I can be.”
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
