MANAMA (Bahrain) - The success that Jad El Hajj has built over the years as a basketball coach serves as a reflection of how much he values growth.
I did many things with the national team of Lebanon, now maybe it's time to do something with Bahrain.
Thus, his decision to leave Lebanon and go to Bahrain - a move that left fans and pundits alike surprised given not only the timing of his departure, but due to what he had been able to accomplish during his time with the proud program.
"I felt that I needed a new challenge outside," offered the bench tactician, who hails from Beirut. "Bahrain contacted me and it was a big challenge for me, to get more experience outside of Lebanon, to go out, to have a new challenge."
El Hajj tendered his resignation as head coach of the Cedars last May, doing so at a time when the crew was building up for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Valencia, Spain with the hope, of course, to make it to the Paris Games.
It wasn't just the national squad that he'd leave, though. The 35-year-old also bade goodbye to the Lebanese club scene after stepping down as chief mentor of Sagesse SC, making it only a one-season partnership with the esteemed organization.
And by early June, it became official: he'd be serving Bahrain as the lead think-tank of the men's side and as technical director of the country's national teams.
There should be no question that his situation now is very much aligned with his goals. However, it was not easy for him to leave home, El Hajj admitted.
For sure, it was not easy, too, for those who saw him go. The Lebanese men's team, for one, could only offer their thanks to the coach that steered the program to a silver medal in the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 - its first runner-up finish in the meet in 15 years.
The Cedars would also book their first FIBA Basketball World Cup appearance since 2010 by qualifying for the 2023 edition. They won two games in Jakarta, Indonesia - three had they completed that massive upset of world powerhouse France.
Sagesse did the same, wishing the best of luck to the man that made it a short yet sweet stay with the green-and-white during the 2023/2024 season.
With him, they reached not just the Final of the Lebanese Basketball Championship but of the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) Final 8 in Doha, Qatar as well, which proved to his last dance with a Lebanese side before flying out to the Gulf.
"It was honestly a difficult decision," he said. "A tough one for me, for the fans, also for the players because we have built great relationships after years of failing to qualify for the World Cup and in the Asia Cup Final. It was tough. It wasn't easy."
Then again, he felt that it's time to go and continue his career elsewhere. But El Hajj left with his head held up high, for he knows that he gave it his all for Lebanon.
"I felt like I gave everything for the national team and all competitions - being Arab champions, Asia Cup runners-up, and qualifying to the World Cup and winning two games there," said 'Jado,' who was appointed as the Cedars' head coach in 2022.
"I felt that it's time for the guys to have new blood, a new coach, and for me to go for a different challenge," added El Hajj, who's been replaced by Miodrag Perisic.
And wherever basketball may take him, he will always bring all the experiences - the highs and the lows and everything in between - home had given him.
"You know, those were great days in Lebanon," he reflected. "I did many things with the national team of Lebanon. Now, maybe it's time to do something with Bahrain."
El Hajj has been with Bahrain for five months now and he's already brought gold to the country. Last September, he led the men's team to the top of the GBA Championship for National Teams, beating Qatar in the Final by way of a 73-68 decision.
I'm understanding more about the culture here, the players' mentality. We're trying to give them our best, based from our experiences.
It was the first-ever title of the Bahrainis in the contest and to think that he helped them accomplish as much three months into the job makes it all the more impressive.
"I came here with two goals. First one is winning the [GBA Championship] and we made it happen. The second one is to qualify for Asia," said El Hajj.
What he's referring to is helping Bahrain qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, which they can do through the ongoing Qualifiers, where they're at 1-1.
The second window is fast approaching and he hopes for his charges to submit strong showings against Syria (November 22) and UAE (November 25) to boost their chances of making it to the tournament proper, set next year in Saudi Arabia.
"We have four more games, we need a couple of wins to be there ... Hopefully we'll have a good camp and friendly games to build chemistry fast," he said.
El Hajj definitely has big dreams for Bahrain yet he still remains in the process of further understanding not only his team and players, but their culture as well. Like what most of his peers and predecessors live with, coaching is beyond Xs and Os.
My personal goal is to achieve great things for Bahrain like Lebanon.
Good thing is, he's also gotten involved in the domestic league. He signed a deal with Al Ahli Club, which he's leading in the 2024/2025 WASL-Gulf League while they all await for the new Bahraini Premier League season to open in December.
So, yes, he finds himself coaching in WASL once again, albeit with a different team and in a different Sub-Zone League - an opportunity he truly welcomes.
"I'm understanding more about the culture here, the players' mentality. We're trying to give them our best, based from our experiences," he said.
"We have two tournaments to participate in: the league and WASL. When we play more games, it's gonna be much better," he continued. "I'm here again in WASL, but now in the Gulf. I like this competition to see where we're gonna be."
Because El Hajj knows that such endeavors would, one way or another, contribute to what he hopes to build in Bahrain when he took on the job.
"Our goal always is to give our best, to be a fighting national team - no matter who we're gonna face," he said. "We are out to give our one hundred percent."
"Bahrain suffered a lot in the last 30, 40 years of not winning any championship. We made it. So now, the guys believe that we can make good results. Hopefully, we can build on it. My personal goal is to achieve great things for Bahrain like Lebanon."
FIBA