JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Maccabi Tel Aviv star Guy Pnini, former team captain and Euroleague champion, announced his retirement from basketball on Monday at the age of 39.
Pnini played for the Israeli club between 2009 and 2017, with which he won the Euroleague title in 2014, the ABA Adriatic league championship in 2012, four Israeli league titles, and eight State Cups.
He then moved to the Israeli team Hapoel Holon for five seasons, where he added to his record an Israeli league championship title, one State Cup, and the Balkan League title.
In 2022, he returned to Maccabi for one season, and from now on will serve as an assistant coach in the team, under head coach Oded Kattash.
Pnini, who tops the Israeli league's appearance list with 521 games, began his career in 2001 and played for three Israeli teams, including Hapoel Jerusalem, with which he won two State Cups.
He then moved abroad to play at FMP Zeleznik in Serbia and Keravnos in Cyprus before joining Maccabi.
Pnini also played for the Israel national team throughout his career, until retiring from the Blue and Whites in October last year.
"I experienced happy and difficult moments that shaped me as a person," Pnini said in a press conference. "Lifting the Euroleague cup in Milan and then celebrating in front of 100,000 people in Tel Aviv were experiences I never dared to dream of. I'm sure I'll miss them."
Maccabi chairman Shimon Mizrahi said that "Guy is not an ordinary player, but a symbol and example of game smartness and club loyalty. I'm sure he will reach greatness and become one of the top Israeli coaches." ■
