Arik Alfasi, veteran coach of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and one of the most prominent names in Israeli basketball, passed away Wednesday morning due to COVID-19 complications, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
Alfasi, 49, has been coaching basketball since 2002. He was also formerly an assistant coach to Israel's national basketball team.
The Israeli Basketball Association mourned his passing on social media. "Basketball coach Arik Alfasi passed away at only 49. The Basketball Association bows its head and shares the family's grief."
מאמן הכדורסל אריק אלפסי הלך לעולמו כשהוא בן 49 בלבד. אלפסי שימש בעבר כעוזר מאמן נבחרת ישראל. איגוד הכדורסל מרכין את ראשו ומשתתף בצערה של המשפחה. pic.twitter.com/TxQAyeS2eT
— איגוד הכדורסל בישראל (@TherealIBBA) September 22, 2021
Alfasi has been battling the coronavirus for the past several weeks, having contracted the virus with the surge of the fourth wave of the pandemic in Israel. He was hospitalized in Ichilov in serious condition. Several days ago, his condition deteriorated and he was put on a ventilator.
"Arik coached many teams and led them to great achievements," Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Chili Tropper said on Wednesday. "He left a mark in the world of Israeli basketball, and his early passing is a terrible loss."
The veteran coach worked with many Israeli basketball teams over the years, including Ashkelon, Ashdod, Eilat, Nahariya and Netanya, his home city.
"Arik was an inseparable part of Israeli basketball, started his career as a youth coach in Maccabi Netanya and raised dozens of players in his years as coach," the Israeli Basketball League tweeted.
The Basketball League will commemorate Alfasi during tonight's quarter-finals with a minute of applause before the start of the game, the league announced. The players will also wear a black ribbon in his honor.