Bonzie Colson Gets Warm Welcome Returning to Israel to Play for Maccabi Tel Aviv
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Bonzie Colson playing for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Photo: IMAGO/Eibner via Reuters Connect
Professional basketball player Bonzie Colson was surrounded by cheering Maccabi Tel Aviv fans when he landed in Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport earlier this week to play again for the city next season.
The 30-year-old forward from New Bedford, Massachusetts, was rushed by basketball fans at the airport upon arrival in Israel. Colson signed a two-year deal with Maccabi and will again wear his yellow-and-blue jersey after playing two years for Fenerbahce and helping the Turkish team win the 2025 EuroLeague, two Turkish championships, and the Turkish Cup in 2025 and 2026. Colson played with Maccabi between 2022 and 2024, and won two Israeli League championships with the team. He was named the 2023-24 EuroLeague Round 18 Most Valuable Player.
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“I know how special it is to be here. Maccabi is a special place. Tel Aviv is a special place. I think you don’t really understand the love and the enjoyment of being in Tel Aviv unless you’ve been here,” Colson told Israel’s Sport 5 this week. “There are some teams that wanted me out here but, you know, it’s Maccabi.”
Colson also talked about building chemistry and camaraderie with new team members and returning players. He said Maccabi is focusing on “getting one percent better every day and staying together, and we can accomplish any of our goals.”
It was announced in late June that Colson had signed a deal to return to Maccabi.
“I’m incredibly happy and grateful to be reunited with my Maccabi family,” he said in a released statement at the time. “From the moment I left, I always had a special place in my heart for this club, the fans and the city of Tel Aviv. I want to thank the owners, management and coaching staff for believing in me and making this return possible. I’m excited and ready to get to work and create more special memories together.”
After four years of basketball at the University of Notre Dame, Colson played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA from 2018-19, and the Canton Charge and Wisconsin Herd in the G League. He played for teams in France and Turkey including Darussafaka Istanbul, Strasbourg, and Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir.
