Danny Franco (דני פרנקו; born 5 December 1973) is an Israeli
basketball coach
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behavior of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as wel ...
. He is currently the head coach of
Hapoel Tel Aviv of the
Israeli Premier League
The Israeli Premier League ( he, ליגת העל, ''Ligat Ha`Al'', ), is a professional association football league which operates as the highest division of the Israeli Football League – the state's league of Israel. The league is contested b ...
.
Franco began his coaching path as coach for
Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth teams, and during that time he also coached the Israeli youth national team. Among the many teams Franco has coached are:
Ironi Ramat Gan
Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan ( he, מכבי עירוני רמת גן, formerly Ironi Ramat Gan) is a male basketball club based in Ramat Gan in central Israel. The team plays in Liga Leumit, the second division in Israeli basketball. It plays at the Sha ...
,
Hapoel Afula,
Hapoel Gilboa Galil
Hapoel Gilboa Galil ( he, הפועל גלבוע גליל) is a professional basketball club that is based in north-east Israel. The club plays its home game in the Israeli Basketball Premier League (the top tier of Israeli basketball) in a 2,250- ...
(as
Hapoel Galil Elyon
Hapoel Galil Elyon ( he, הפועל גליל עליון), also known as Hapoel Nofar Energy Galil Elion for sponsorship reasons, is an Israeli basketball club. The team competes in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the top tier of Israeli b ...
),
Hapoel Holon
Hapoel Holon Basketball Club ( he, מועדון הכדורסל הפועל חולון), known for sponsorship reasons as Hapoel Atsmon Playgrounds Holon (), is a professional basketball club based in Holon, Israel. The team plays in the Israeli ...
with whom he won the
Israeli State Cup
The Israel State Cup ( he, גביע המדינה, ''Gvia HaMedina''), is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
The State Cup was first held in 1928 as the People's Cup. Because it involv ...
in 2009,
Barak Netanya
Elitzur Ironi Netanya ( he, אליצור עירוני קוסמוס נדל"ן נתניה) is a professional basketball club based in Netanya, Israel. The team plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, since its promotion in 2021.
History E ...
, and
Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa ( he, מכבי חיפה) is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football ...
,
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Jerusalem is a sport organization in Jerusalem as a local branch of the Hapoel movement. The branch was established in the 1920s and represents the city in more sports than any other sport organization in Jerusalem. Today, the club's leadi ...
,
Ironi Nahariya
Ironi Nahariya Basketball Club ( he, מועדון הכדורסל עירוני נהריה; ) known for sponsorship reasons as Ironi Rain Nahariya () is a professional basketball club based in city of Nahariya in northern Israel. The team plays in th ...
and
Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Beginning of career and youth coach
Franco grew up in
Holon, where he played for
Hapoel Holon
Hapoel Holon Basketball Club ( he, מועדון הכדורסל הפועל חולון), known for sponsorship reasons as Hapoel Atsmon Playgrounds Holon (), is a professional basketball club based in Holon, Israel. The team plays in the Israeli ...
's youth team. At age 16, he participated in an instructor's course at the
Wingate Institute
Wingate Institute ( he, מכון וינגייט), officially Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports ( he, המכון לחינוך גופני ולספורט ע"ש אורד וינגייט), is a sports training institute located so ...
, and was invited by legendary coach
Yehoshua Rozin
Yehoshua Rozin ( he, יהושע רוזין; 16 August 1918 – 6 February 2002) was an Israeli basketball coach.
Biography
Rozin was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He moved to Israel at the age of six. He played basketball for Maccabi Tel Aviv i ...
to coach in the
Hapoel Tel Aviv youth division. Over the years, Franco also coached the Blich High School team, in the Israeli High School's top division. Franco led Blich to three championship games - in 2005, 2008, and 2013. Among the players Franco coached at Blich are,
Lior Eliyahu
Lior Eliyahu ( he, לִיאוֹר אֱלִיָּהוּ; born 9 September 1985) is an Israeli former professional basketball player. He is 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) in height and he weighs 105 kg (225 pounds). He plays at the power forward pos ...
and
Elishay Kadir
Elishay Kadir ( he, אלישי כדיר) (born November 4, 1987) is an Israeli professional basketball player, who plays for Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Premier League. He plays in the power forward position, and is 202 cm (6'8") tall. He w ...
. Franco led the Israel National Cadet Team (until age 16) at the
2007 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Greece, and brought his team to the number 11 place finish. In 2008, Franco led the National Israeli Youth Team (until age 18) at the
2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
The 2008 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was an international basketball competition held in Greece from July 25, 2008 until August 3. The hosts, Greeks, emerged as the champions after beating the Lithuanians in the final, 57–50 to clinch th ...
, where Israel finished in tenth place. In 2009, at the
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship hosted in France, Israel finished in 15th place. Franco continued to coach the team in 2010.
Professional league career
Assistant coach
Franco began his professional league coaching in the 1996–97 season as the assistant coach at the beginning of the season under Meir Kaminsky and, later in the season, under his replacement, Edni Dagan. From 2000 to 2002, Franco worked as assistant coach at
Hapoel Gilboa Galil
Hapoel Gilboa Galil ( he, הפועל גלבוע גליל) is a professional basketball club that is based in north-east Israel. The club plays its home game in the Israeli Basketball Premier League (the top tier of Israeli basketball) in a 2,250- ...
under
Erez Edelstein
Erez Edelstein (born August 23, 1961) is an Israeli basketball coach.
Coaching career
In 2014, Edelstein was hired as a head coach of the Israel national basketball team.
On June 9, 2016, Edelstein was announced as the new head coach of Maccabi ...
and Shai Minister. In the 2002–03 season, Franco was assistant coach at
Ironi Ramat Gan
Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan ( he, מכבי עירוני רמת גן, formerly Ironi Ramat Gan) is a male basketball club based in Ramat Gan in central Israel. The team plays in Liga Leumit, the second division in Israeli basketball. It plays at the Sha ...
, first under Austoich, and later under Hanoch Mintzh.
Ironi Ramat Gan
In the 2004–05 season, Franco for the first time in his career was head coach of a professional team when he coached
Ironi Ramat Gan
Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan ( he, מכבי עירוני רמת גן, formerly Ironi Ramat Gan) is a male basketball club based in Ramat Gan in central Israel. The team plays in Liga Leumit, the second division in Israeli basketball. It plays at the Sha ...
in the
Israeli National League. In that season, Franco managed to bring the team back up to the Israeli Super League after beating
Hapoel Afula five games in five games in the playoff finals of the National League. Franco continued to coach the team through the 2005–06 season in the Super League.
Hapoel Afula
In preparation for the 2006–07 season, Franco was appointed as head coach of
Hapoel Afula Basketball Club which was admitted into the Israeli Super League that year. Among those who played that season for Franco were Goni Izraeli, Avi Sukar,
Yehu Orland
Yehu Orland (יהוא אורלנד; born September 14, 1981) is an Israeli basketball coach of Hapoel Emek Hefer Afula, and former basketball player. He played the shooting guard position. He was the 2013 Israeli Basketball Premier League Sixth ...
, and
Tunji Awojobi
Tunji Femi Awojobi (born July 30, 1973) is a retired Nigerian professional basketball player. A former boxer, Awojobi graduated from Boston University in 1997. Following graduation, he played in several European countries, most notably in Israel. ...
,
Jermaine Hall
Jermaine Hall (born November 24, 1980) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for Wagner College.
College career
Hall led the Wagne ...
, and Rich Meltzer. The team ended the season in sixth place with a balance of 11 wins versus 16 losses and Goni Izraeli was chosen as talent discovery of the year.
Hapoel Gilboa Galil
In December 2007, Franco was appointed as coach for
Hapoel Gilboa Galil
Hapoel Gilboa Galil ( he, הפועל גלבוע גליל) is a professional basketball club that is based in north-east Israel. The club plays its home game in the Israeli Basketball Premier League (the top tier of Israeli basketball) in a 2,250- ...
to replace
Eli Kaneti. Franco won three out of nine games. Franco was succeeded by
Oded Kattash
Oded Kattash ( he, עודד קטש, born October 10, 1974) is an Israeli professional basketball coach for Maccabi Tel Aviv and former player. During his playing career, at a height of 194 cm (6' 4 ") tall, he played at the point guard posi ...
.
Hapoel Holon
At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, Franco was appointed as head coach of
Hapoel Holon
Hapoel Holon Basketball Club ( he, מועדון הכדורסל הפועל חולון), known for sponsorship reasons as Hapoel Atsmon Playgrounds Holon (), is a professional basketball club based in Holon, Israel. The team plays in the Israeli ...
which won the championship the previous season. The team budget significantly dropped after the coach and the owner left. Franco built the team back up using the foreigners
Deron Washington
Deron Washington (born December 12, 1985) is an American basketball player who last played for Mitteldeutscher BC, Mitteldeutscher of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). He played in college for the Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team. ...
,
Luis Flores, Curtis Withers, and Brian Tolbert and the Israelis Lior Lifshitz,
Yehu Orland
Yehu Orland (יהוא אורלנד; born September 14, 1981) is an Israeli basketball coach of Hapoel Emek Hefer Afula, and former basketball player. He played the shooting guard position. He was the 2013 Israeli Basketball Premier League Sixth ...
, and
Uri Kokia
Uri Kokia ( he, אורי קוקיה; born May 14, 1981) is an Israeli professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player. He is the current head coach for Ironi Ramat Gan of the Liga Artzit. Kokia played as a center/power ...
. In February 2009, Holon won the first Israeli State Cup in the club's history after a razor-thin, one-point difference, win over
Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa ( he, מכבי חיפה) is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football ...
in the final game. Franco received many accolades for his accomplishments with Holon.
Barak Netanya
Note: subcategory requires expansion.
Maccabi Haifa
Franco coached Maccbi Haifa during the 2013–14 season following
Brad Greenberg's departure for
Hapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Jerusalem is a sport organization in Jerusalem as a local branch of the Hapoel movement. The branch was established in the 1920s and represents the city in more sports than any other sport organization in Jerusalem. Today, the club's leadi ...
and brought the team to the national final against current
EuroLeague champion
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv ( he, מכבי תל אביב) is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such ...
. After the season Franco too left Haifa to replace Greenberg as the head coach of the Jerusalem team.
Hapoel Jerusalem
In June 2014, Franco was signed by Hapoel Jerusalem succeeding
Brad Greenberg. This landing marks his first job at one of Israel's "Big Two" with the other being
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv ( he, מכבי תל אביב) is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such ...
.
Donta Smith
Donta Lamont Smith (born November 27, 1983) is an American-Venezuelan professional basketball player for Cangrejeros de Santurce of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Playing for Maccabi Haifa, he was named the 2014 Israeli Basketball Premier Leag ...
, then
Israeli Super League MVP, who played for Franco in Haifa, signed with Jerusalem as well.
Hapoel Tel Aviv
On June 6, 2017, Franco became the new head coach of
Hapoel Tel Aviv. That season, Franco led Hapoel to the
Israeli League Final Four for the first time in 13 years. On June 29, 2018, Franco signed a one-year contract extension with Hapoel.
In his second season with Hapoel, he led the team to the
2019 Israeli League Playoffs, where they eventually were eliminated by
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv ( he, מכבי תל אביב) is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such ...
in the Quarterfinals. On June 3, 2019, Franco parted ways with Hapoel.
Ironi Nahariya
On June 16, 2019, Franco was named
Ironi Nahariya
Ironi Nahariya Basketball Club ( he, מועדון הכדורסל עירוני נהריה; ) known for sponsorship reasons as Ironi Rain Nahariya () is a professional basketball club based in city of Nahariya in northern Israel. The team plays in th ...
new head coach.
Personal life
Franco is married and lives in
Giv'atayim
Givatayim ( he, גִּבְעָתַיִים, lit. "two hills") is a city in Israel east of Tel Aviv. It is part of the metropolitan area known as Gush Dan. Givatayim was established in 1922 by pioneers of the Second Aliyah. In it had a population ...
. His oldest daughter was born in 2008.
References
External links
Israeli basketball league profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franco, Danny
1973 births
Living people
Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. coaches
Israeli basketball coaches