Maccabi brings back Alex Tyus

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has brought back Israeli forward/center Alex Tyus for a third stint with the club, signing him through the end of the current season. Tyus (2.03 meters), who famously won the EuroLeague title with Maccabi in 2014, returns to add depth to the reigning champions’ frontcourt ahead of the Israeli League playoffs. He will wear jersey number 7.

The Menora Mivtachim Arena was Tyus’s home between 2013–2015 and again from 2017–2019. He left a strong impression as an athletic and mobile big man, known for his pick-and-roll play, frequent alley-oop finishes, putbacks, and solid rim protection. Even at 37, Tyus has continued playing at a high level in recent years, including stints with Real Madrid and ASVEL Villeurbanne. This season, he averaged 19 minutes per game with Italian side Varese.

Alex Tyus was born in January 1988 in St. Louis, Missouri, where he also grew up. He played his college basketball at the University of Florida, where he shared the court in his final season with Scottie Wilbekin. Tyus was a standout for the Gators, starting regularly and averaging 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and nearly a block per game across 152 appearances. During his time at Florida, he was introduced to Judaism by a teammate, which led him to convert and eventually receive Israeli citizenship in 2012.

His professional career began with Maccabi Ashdod, whom he led to the playoff finals in 2012. After one season, he moved to Cant? in Italy, and then returned to Israel to sign with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Tyus quickly became a fan favorite in the yellow jersey thanks to his athleticism on both ends of the floor. Alongside Sofoklis Schortsanitis, he formed a fearsome frontcourt duo. Tyus helped Maccabi capture the EuroLeague title in 2014, delivering a standout performance in the final against Real Madrid: 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

In 2015, he moved to Turkey, playing one season with Anadolu Efes and another with Galatasaray before returning to Maccabi in 2017. He averaged close to 20 minutes per game in the EuroLeague during that second stint, contributing around 8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and over a block per game. After two more years in Tel Aviv, Tyus journeyed through Europe with stops at UNICS Kazan, Galatasaray again, Real Madrid, P?nar Kar??yaka, ASVEL Villeurbanne, Parma Moscow, Hapoel Jerusalem, and, most recently, Varese

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