Amiel will return home after a number of seasons coaching in Europe having spent the last four years in charge of CEZ Nymburk in the Czech Republic.
The 49-year old coach began toiling behind the bench beginning in the 2004/05 season as an assistant coach under Oded Katash with Hapoel Galil Elyon after having played for the club as a guard.
In 2007/08, when Katash took over at Maccabi Tel Aviv, Amiel joined him as well but his time with the yellow-and-blue was cut short. The following season Amiel took over the reins at Hapoel Yokneam/Megido in the Leumit league and the year after that he moved to Hapoel Nazareth Elite in the same competition.
In 2011/12, Amiel’s relationship with Nymburk began when he was appointed as one of Ronen Ginzburg’s assistants and held that position for three seasons. It was then back to Israel and Hapoel Jerusalem, where Amiel worked under Brad Greenberg, but by the 2015/16 season he was back in the Czech Republic with Ginzburg once again. Finally in 2017/18, Amiel was given the opportunity to be the leading man with Nymburk, where he has been since.
Veteran guard Avi Ben Shimol, who played under Amiel when he was an assistant coach for three years explained what qualities he will bring to the capital city Reds.
“He’s a true professional with a total understanding of the game at the highest of levels that I have ever encountered,” said Ben Shimol. “In every aspect of basketball and life, Oren was a very dominant assistant coach who influenced the players and the game itself.”
Maxime De Zeeuw, who played with Hapoel Holon this past season, also was a player that Amiel influenced as an assistant coach at Nymburk during the 2015/16 season.
“He was assistant coach there when I played, but he took over the team for a couple of games,” said De Zeeuw. “Great coach with great knowledge. He is also a great person. I’m confident he will do great in Jerusalem and wish him the best!”
Amiel, who took home the Champions League Coach of the Season award during the 2019/20 campaign, has proven to be a solid head coach by also winning the Czech Republic domestic league all four years he was in charge.
Zach Hankins, who began the 2019/20 season under Amiel and then moved to Israel to play with Maccabi Rishon Lezion during the “Corona League” to end the 2019/20 season, spoke about what the coach brings to the table.
“Honestly, he’s been one of my favorite coaches to play for,” said Hankins. “He understands how to coach professionals very well. He has a great balance of teaching and just letting guys play to their strengths. Has a great IQ and his presence makes you respect him a lot. I very much hope to play for him again someday. His resume speaks for itself.”
Small forward Omar Prewitt who flourished under Amiel this past campaign also sees the match with Jerusalem to be one made in heaven, “Oren was great guy on and off the court and really got to know each player and wanted to hear our thoughts on things. His style of play is most definitely to get the quickest, best shot available and loves to push in transition. He gave us as players a lot of freedom to show our game within the system and is a firm believer in crashing the offensive glass. He helped us all at Nymburk take steps forward in our basketball careers. Jerusalem got a good coach that if nothing else will make sure his team will come to play hard in every match.”
What will Amiel’s squad look like with the Reds?
One player that we know that will be staying put is Adam Ariel, who took strides as a young player when Amiel was an assistant under Greenberg in 2013/14.
“I have to say that the assistant coach at the time, Oren Amiel, is still one of my mentors today,” said Ariel. “I was able to really expand my game and begin to see what my career was going to look like. I have to give a tremendous amount of thanks to Brad Greenberg, who never looked at just the names on our jerseys, but who we were and what we could contribute and continued my development as much as he could. I owe my entire career to Oren as he was the one who really helped me become the player I am today and helped work on things that needed improvement.”
Greenberg, who just this past season coached Ness Ziona to the FIBA Europe Cup championship also chimed in on Amiel’s appointment.
“Excited and happy for a good friend in Oren Amiel and this new opportunity that is well deserved,” said Greenberg. “He will do great and Hapoel Jerusalem is getting a special coach and an even better person.”
Will Amiel indeed succeed in Jerusalem? It’s of course too early to know, but what we do know is that those who have been associated with him in one way or another over the course of his career definitely believe that he has the qualities to do some special things with the Reds.
As Jerusalem looks to recover from quite a brutal campaign last season, it seems that Amiel is the right person at the right time to take over at the helm.