"Hapoel fans were and remain the best in Israel"

The veterans among the fans remember Billy Thompson (59) very well, the "priest", who played with Hapoel in 1998-1995 and won two historic State Cups with her. Besides his tenure in Jerusalem, Thompson won high school, college, and two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Thompson, together with an impressive team that included Adi Gordon, Pepi Turgeman, Doron Shefa, and many more, turned Hapoel into a powerhouse in Israeli basketball and became one of the most beloved foreigners ever by the Red crowd.
 
Billy came to visit Israel, and of course we took the opportunity to sit down with him for a special interview on the official website. As mentioned, Billy won two state cups together with Hapoel, and told us about that team, which made history: "We were just like a family, we just wanted to win together. None of us were the story, but only the team and its success. When we succeeded and won the whole league, The players told the journalists that it was thanks to "Billy Thompson's God". That way, without ego, a real family."
 

Although he played at all levels and reached the highest places a player can dream of professionally, he says that the decision to come to Hapoel was easy: "It was God, he directed me to Israel. I had offers that I didn't really want from Galilee and Hapoel Tel Aviv, but when an offer came from Jerusalem - I couldn't refuse. It wasn't even about basketball, it was from God. I told my wife, "This is Jerusalem, it's special, we're signing."
 
Any old fan will say that the team was one of those that connected the Jerusalem fans to the club, and Billy himself was one of the foreigners most loved by the fans. He says about this connection: "It was amazing, they knew I was a Christian, and they accepted me into the family of Hapoel and the community of Jerusalem. We had the best fans in Israel, and we still do." On the moment he remembers the most from the crowd: "After we won the cup with Adi's victory basket over Chambers and Maccabi, all our fans just went crazy from happiness. Thousands of fans traveled with us all the way back to Jerusalem with cheering songs and shouts. It was simply amazing. In the end, it's all The story. I won seven championships before I came to Hapoel, so I was used to it, but it was special."
 
Thompson, who played with Magic Johnson, Byron Scott, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, chooses to tell about another player, one of the most special he knew: "I was very connected to Adi Gordon. He didn't care about himself or publicity, but he was a tremendous talent. He scored five winning baskets in his first year. Michael Jordan scored six in his entire career. That's how special he was, we all understood it even then."

The Jerusalem legend addressed the issue of continuity, which greatly distinguished his team from other teams, just like the current team that is being built in the capital: "This continuity is very important. In the end, a team is a family. Teams that want a championship need a strong bond, and that doesn't happen in a moment. They need to spend time together. So You can replace and upgrade a few players on a spot basis, but you have to strive to keep the core. This is very important."
 
Billy is following the team and the tremendous upgrade it experienced: "I knew that Hapoel would become what it is today. We sent a message to all the teams - Hapoel Jerusalem is here. It is not going anywhere. And it was clear to me that it would grow and become a strong name not only in Israel but also in Europe. The future Looks rosy, and now, with the new owner, I expect the team to be even more successful, and I'm really looking forward to it and hope I'll be able to come more and see it."