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[Saba Sports News] Last month, Patrick Beverley made the unexpected decision to sign with a professional team in Israel, but the veteran guard made it clear he won’t hesitate to leave if safety becomes a concern.
Beverley recently signed a “historic” contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv BC of the Israeli Premier League. On his “The Pat Bev Podcast,” he addressed concerns about playing overseas amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, saying, “Safety is important. If a bomb goes off, I’m gone,” via EuroHoops.net.
He mentioned that a drone explosion in a Tel Aviv neighborhood recently killed a civilian. While players have assured him they feel safe in Israel, Beverley emphasized he won’t be naive.
Beverley noted, “I haven’t heard of any unsafe places in Tel Aviv now. My old teammate told me every apartment has a bomb room, and he used it to hang clothes. He was there three or four months last season, and nothing happened.”
He added that most of their EuroCup games are played in Bulgaria, not Israel.
At 36, Beverley likely had interest from NBA teams, but he said he didn’t want to “stand in the corner” and believes he’ll have a more meaningful role in Israel. Last season, Beverley averaged 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game across 73 games split between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.