Oded Kattash
Encyclopedia
Oded Kattash is an Israel
i basketball
coach
and former player. He is currently the head coach of Hapoel Jerusalem BC. As a player, he won a Euroleague
title in the 1999–2000 season while playing with Panathinaikos.
In 2005, he was voted the 68th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
. When he was 9 years old he joined the junior department of Maccabi Tel Aviv
. He played for Maccabi Darom (Which was Maccabi Tel Aviv's farm team at the time), Maccabi Ramat Gan, and Hapoel Galil Elyon
, before returning in 1995 to Maccabi Tel Aviv to join the senior team. With Macabbi's senior team he won 4 Israeli Championships
and 2 Israeli Cups
.
He played at the Eurobasket 1997
European Championship with the Israeli national basketball team
, scoring 22 points per game during the tournament. He subsequently agreed to play with the New York Knicks
, but he never actually played in the NBA because of the 1998-99 NBA season
lockout
that started on July 1, 1998.
Eventually, he signed a three-year contract with Panathinaikos BC. In the 2000 Euroleague
final game he scored 17 points against his former team Maccabi Tel Aviv to win the Euroleague Championship with Panathinaikos. His career ended prematurely a few months later when he suffered a serious knee injury.
. He was the coach of Macabbi Tel Aviv
from summer of 2007 until January 1, 2008, when he resigned.
Shortly after he returned to Galil Elyon, Kattash helped the team stay in the first division. In 2009 he remained with Galil, leading them against the odds to the Israeli League final four, and coming within a last shot pfknocking out Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semifinal. In 2010, he won the Israeli championship with Galil after a win over Maccabi in the finals.
In June 2010, Kattash was appointed as Hapoel Jerusalem BC head coach, signing a three-year contract.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former player. He is currently the head coach of Hapoel Jerusalem BC. As a player, he won a Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
title in the 1999–2000 season while playing with Panathinaikos.
In 2005, he was voted the 68th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Playing career
He is 194 cm (6'4 3/8") tall and he played as a point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
. When he was 9 years old he joined the junior department of Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball)
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv B.C. is a professional Israeli basketball club based in Tel Aviv. The team plays in three leagues: the Euroleague, the Israeli Basketball Super League, and the Adriatic League....
. He played for Maccabi Darom (Which was Maccabi Tel Aviv's farm team at the time), Maccabi Ramat Gan, and Hapoel Galil Elyon
Hapoel Galil Elyon
Hapoel Galil-Elyon was an Israeli basketball club. The team represented the north-east region of the country – the Upper Galilee, and the Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights...
, before returning in 1995 to Maccabi Tel Aviv to join the senior team. With Macabbi's senior team he won 4 Israeli Championships
Ligat Winner
Ligat HaAl , or the Israeli Basketball Super League, is the top tier of league basketball competition in Israeli basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball competition. For sponsorship reasons, the league is also referred to as Ligat Loto , lit...
and 2 Israeli Cups
Israeli Basketball State Cup
The Israeli Basketball State Cup is the second most important basketball competition in Israel, after Ligat HaAl. The tournament began in the 1955-56 season, and is run by the Israel Basketball Association....
.
He played at the Eurobasket 1997
EuroBasket 1997
-Venues:The tournament was played at three venues in Spain. Girona and Badalona hosted the first and the second round, while the entire knockout stage was played at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona.-First round:-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:...
European Championship with the Israeli national basketball team
Israel national basketball team
The Israeli national basketball team is the basketball team that represents Israel in international competition.The Israeli team has participated 25 times in the European championship tournament. Their best achievements were a silver medal in Eurobasket 1979, and 5th place in 1953 and 1977...
, scoring 22 points per game during the tournament. He subsequently agreed to play with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but he never actually played in the NBA because of the 1998-99 NBA season
1998-99 NBA season
The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association . Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999 after a new six year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association...
lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
that started on July 1, 1998.
Eventually, he signed a three-year contract with Panathinaikos BC. In the 2000 Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
final game he scored 17 points against his former team Maccabi Tel Aviv to win the Euroleague Championship with Panathinaikos. His career ended prematurely a few months later when he suffered a serious knee injury.
Coaching career
After Kattash retired from playing he took up basketball coaching, and first coached Hapoel Galil ElyonHapoel Galil Elyon
Hapoel Galil-Elyon was an Israeli basketball club. The team represented the north-east region of the country – the Upper Galilee, and the Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights...
. He was the coach of Macabbi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball)
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv B.C. is a professional Israeli basketball club based in Tel Aviv. The team plays in three leagues: the Euroleague, the Israeli Basketball Super League, and the Adriatic League....
from summer of 2007 until January 1, 2008, when he resigned.
Shortly after he returned to Galil Elyon, Kattash helped the team stay in the first division. In 2009 he remained with Galil, leading them against the odds to the Israeli League final four, and coming within a last shot pfknocking out Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semifinal. In 2010, he won the Israeli championship with Galil after a win over Maccabi in the finals.
In June 2010, Kattash was appointed as Hapoel Jerusalem BC head coach, signing a three-year contract.
Trivia
- Kattash is known to have different-coloured Irises, a condition known as heterochromiaHeterochromiaIn anatomy, heterochromia refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. Heterochromia is a result of the relative excess or lack of melanin...
of the irisIris (anatomy)The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
es (heterochromia iridis).
External links
- Article about Kattash
- Kattash and Knicks
- News piece about coaching Maccabi
- Career