Wilbekin on Hapoel fans: 'How can it be that I love Israel more than they do?' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv Credit Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv defeated their archrivals Hapoel Tel Aviv and won the quarterfinal series yesterday.

Scottie Wilbekin

Team:Maccabi Tel AvivPosition:SGAge:29Height:188 cmWeight:80 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Scottie Wilbekin scored 28 points and led the comeback that gifted Maccabi the win. He then went to Twitch today to play Call of Duty: Warzone and answered some questions from the club's fans.

"I think Hapoel fans do not like Israel, if they did, they would not sing songs about the Holocaust," Wilbekin said during the stream. "How can it be that I love their country more than they do?"

"I played in Greece, and it was not close to what happened yesterday. Objects were thrown there, and fans were immediately caught and thrown from the hall.

I just do not understand it, I would never call an Israeli a nazi. It must not be done. I understand the hatred between the clubs, but not all of these things," he continued.

After receiving some comments about his previous statements, Wilbekin pushed back.

"Why is it provocative to say I don't respect someone who acts like that?" the Maccabi star asked the viewers. "You don't want to know what they said about me and my family during the game."

"If Maccabi fans were to do something like this, I would tell them to stop. If they did not stop, I would be angry," Wilbekin continued. "I would make it clear that I do not support it. I did it in the last game when J'Covan [Brown] was injured, and Maccabi fans whistled."

"I don't feel bad about anything I say about them. I am not saying that Maccabi fans are perfect, they have done crazy things this season, but it is impossible to compare," Wilbekin explained. "If Maccabi fans have songs about the Holocaust, please let me know. If you tell someone, you would like them to be in the Holocaust, that's what throws them off balance."

"Jerusalem fans always curse me, but I have nothing against them, it's part of the game," the guard concluded.

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