Maccabi Tel Aviv’s David Blatt on NBA Radar for Coaching Slots
Coach To The Top: Maccabi Tel Aviv players lift their coach David Blatt as their fans look on in Tel Aviv in 2014. Image by Getty Images
David Blatt, who guided Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Euroleague basketball championship, is rumored to be in the mix for several coaching jobs in the NBA.
The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have contacted Blatt for their vacant head coaching post, The Associated Press reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. The Cavs, who fired Mike Brown last month for a second time, have not commented on the reports.
New York, Minnesota and Golden State reportedly are interested in Blatt, who holds U.S. and Israeli citizenship, to fill slots as an assistant coach. The Boston native reportedly has turned down NBA assistant coaching jobs in the past.
Along with leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Euroleague title last month, Blatt coached Russia to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Blatt played for Princeton University from 1977 to 1981 and was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s basketball team at the 1981 Maccabiah Games. Following the games, Blatt played for several Israeli teams until he was injured in 1993 and took up coaching.
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