Arroyo: basketball is my greatest passion

Maccabi Tel Aviv officially kicked off their training for the 2008/09 season on Tuesday.

Despite the presence many new faces on the squad, including newly appointed coach Effi Birenboim, D'or Fisher, Rodney White, and Jason Williams, most of the attention of the 400 excited spectators was focused on one of the biggest names to arrive on the scene of Israeli Basketball and Maccabi's most expensive player to date, Puerto Rican national captain and former Orlando Magic guard, Carlos Arroyo.

"I was amazed with the all the fans at my arrival in the airport yesterday," Arroyo greeted the noisy crowd in Hadar Yosef.

"It feels great. I am always excited every time I wear the uniform and step on to the court. This is my greatest passion, and yet with it comes great responsibility. Maccabi is a big club with big tradition, and I feel as though I am ready for this challenge."

Coach Birenboim: "This is the first practice with the fans. I've been around the scene for quite some time now, and I am very aware of the powerful support these fans carry.

"I only hope that each and every one of my players is as excited as I am because that is what a professional athlete requires in order to motivate himself."

sports.jpost.com

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