Brad Greenberg to coach Maccabi Haifa basketball club

It’s my dream to play professional basketball. Pipe dream, really. But they say that those who can’t play, coach. And, so, yeah I’d be honored to Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, even if they did finish last this past season in the Israel Basketball League.

What’s that? The offer wasn’t for this Brad Greenberg?

Indeed, Google Alerts often confuses me with two other Brad Greenbergs: a state judge in Ohio and the former GM of the Philadelphia 76ers (who happens to be the brother of NCAA coach Seth Greenberg). And it looks like the Maccabi Haifa job went to the one with a little more basketball coaching and front-office experience.

JTA reports:

Greenberg, 58, becomes the first head coach in Israel to have served as an NBA assistant coach, NBA general manager and NCAA Division I head coach, according to the team. His contract starts on Aug.1, and the team opens its regular season on Oct. 8.

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“It has been a dream of mine to coach professionally in Israel,” Greenberg said in a statement on the team’s website.

Greenberg served as head coach this past season for Venezuela’s Bucaneros De La Guaira, leading the team to a playoff appearance. He will return as assistant coach of the Venezuelan National Team competing this summer for a chance to participate at the 2012 London Olympics.

Unlike the NBA, Israel is actually one place where you will find Jewish hoopers in the starting five. But being Jewish is by no means a requirement for playing in the league.

And the Jerusalem Post is calling the hiring of that Brad Greenberg “questionable.” Hmmm, maybe he would be interested in my highlight reel (above) ...