Frank Gaines moved very quickly forward: after asking to leave Bnei Herzliya, the guard signed today (Monday) in the Italian Kanto until the end of the season.
One of the main reasons why Gaines wanted to leave is the fact that his relationship with Sharon Drucker, who spoke out strongly against him last night at the end of the loss to Hapoel Beer Sheva, ran aground. Gaines has contacted management in recent days and announced that he is not willing to stay because of it.
“He made up poor excuses to run away from the team after we changed its face,” he said last night Drucker. “Whoever does not want to be here, but act like a man. He and his agent did an ugly deed.”
Gaines’ agent, John Foster, Responded to the coach and told Sportando: “Gaines left because Drucker told other players not to give him the ball, and the players told Frank.” It should be noted that Foster is also the agent of Devon Jefferson, who left Maccabi Haifa before the end of his contract.
In contrast to quite a few past cases, also in other groups in Israel – in Herzliya they gave full backing to Drucker, and decided to accede to the request to leave Gaines, who is under contract at all.
Gaines leaves Herzliya as its main points provider so far: he averages 19.9 points at 42% off the arc. Herzliya is now looking for a quality guard to step into Gaines’ shoes.
