Bonzie Colson on Maccabi's Slow Start and Rejecting Hapoel Tel Aviv

Bonzie Colson returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv this summer with high expectations, but the team's start to the season has been far from impressive. After three EuroLeague games, the squad holds a 0-3 record, and the forward is struggling to find his rhythm. In an interview with the SKWEEK website, he discussed his return to Israel and the courtship by Hapoel Tel Aviv.

"I feel like right now everything is wrong, on both sides of the court," Colson admitted regarding the professional situation. "But it's still the beginning of the season. We need to stay together, and that's what we're doing. We need to figure out how to get out of this bad start and still believe in each other, keep communicating, and get out of the bad period we are in."

According to him, Maccabi simply hasn't found the chemistry among the roster's parts yet. "I don't think we are particularly good right now, on either side of the court, to be honest. We have a lot to improve. Turnovers give easy points in fast breaks, and that of course doesn't make things easier. We're not scoring, and it happens. Our intensity needs to be better, we need to start games better and build chemistry."

Targeting the Playoffs Despite the Slow Start

Despite the disappointing start, Colson remains convinced that Maccabi can reach its set goal. "Nothing has changed," he said when asked about the expectation to reach the playoffs. "It's early, we will get out of this period. We trust and believe, and that hasn't changed. We have returning players and new players, but we need to continue staying together, building, and developing chemistry."

Colson confirmed that Maccabi wasn't the only option on his table this summer. One of the teams that held talks with him was Olympiacos. "There were talks. Obviously, that was an option for me, but I decided to go this way," he shared. When asked if he spoke personally with Olympiacos officials, he replied: "No, I let my agent handle it."

The Choice of Tel Aviv

The forward continued: "I weighed all the pros of coming to Maccabi and coming to Olympiacos, and that's why I'm here." So why Maccabi after all? The answer is clear: "It's familiar. I had success here. I love the coaching staff, the city is great, and I've already succeeded here, so I want to keep winning and get back to where we want to be. Tel Aviv is a nice place."

One of Colson's most intriguing remarks touched upon Hapoel Tel Aviv, which tried to sign him this summer. However, Colson, who previously stated he would never wear red, explained: "Sometimes the opposing team just wants you so you won't go to the team you were with before. I felt that a bit. I know Maccabi very well and the way they operate, on and off the court. I think that's important."

Colson clarified that from his perspective, something in the rivalry has changed significantly: "I think in previous years it was a real rivalry. It was a war on the court. I experienced the derby a few weeks ago, and it's not the same thing at all. Our fans are still great, but their fans kind of disappeared. I don't think there is the same energy they used to have."

Europe as Home

In 2019, Colson arrived in Europe thinking it was just a stopover on the way back to the NBA. Today, he says he already views Europe as his professional home. Aside from Maccabi Tel Aviv, he has played for Turkey's Darüşşafaka, Pınar Karşıyaka, and Fenerbahçe, as well as France's Strasbourg. Before that, he had a brief stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I've been here a few years and didn't get formal offers," he recounted. "I had a few two-way contracts, but I wanted something more concrete. I've had a lot of success here. MVP, championships in several leagues. This is a great home. I met my wife here. It's been great and I'm grateful to be here and continue playing and doing what I love."

Meanwhile, his numbers at Maccabi are still far from the level he displayed in his previous stint: Colson averages 6.3 points and 3 rebounds in 18:39 minutes after three EuroLeague games, shooting 85.7% from two-point range but only 22.2% beyond the arc. Despite this, he remains optimistic: "We will get out of this."