An Israeli basketball player playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) can no longer be put in the same category as such mythical creatures as the Abominable Snowman or the Loch Ness Monster. (with video)
Omri Casspi, a small forward at six-foot-nine and 225 pounds, has cracked the lineup of the Sacramento Kings, and the Jewish rookie now enjoys the rare distinction of being the first Israeli ever to play in the NBA.
There have been many prominent Israeli hoopsters over the years who made names for themselves, but that was back home with the powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv, the New York Yankees of Israeli basketball, who win regularly both at home and often abroad in the Euroleague.
Former Israeli basketball stars who became prominent celebrities and are now in their 50s and 60s – such as Miki Berkowitz, Barry Leibowitz, Moti Aroesti, Doron Jamchi and Tal Brody – are household names back home, but not in North America.
More recently, two other Israeli players came close when they were chosen in the 2006 NBA Draft, but never got to play in a game – forward Lior Eliyahu, who was selected in the second round (44th) by the Orlando Magic and promptly dealt to the Houston Rockets, and Yotam Halperin, a guard who was also taken in Round 2 (53rd) by the Seattle Supersonics. Oded Katash had a tryout with the New York Knicks 10 years ago but never appeared in a game.
The problem with being selected in the second round of the NBA Draft is that only first rounders get a guaranteed contract.
Casspi first declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft, but he withdrew before the declaration deadline after failing to receive a first-round draft guarantee from any of the clubs, which often signal their interest to young players.
In 2009, Omri declared himself eligible for the draft again, an advantage that U.S. college players don’t enjoy, but international prospects do. Casspi hit the jackpot when Sacramento chose him in the first round at number 23.
Now, wearing the number 18 (Chai) on his uniform, Casspi is secure in the fact that his three-year, $3.5-million (US) contract, is guaranteed and thus far, less than a quarter of the way into the regular season, it appears Omri is adjusting well to the American game.
In a recent game that pitted Sacramento against Golden State Warriors, Casspi, despite an injured left ankle, played 36 minutes and finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. All four of his baskets, out of six shots taken in the 120-107 victory, were three-pointers.
After 17 games coming off the bench, he was averaging almost 24 minutes of playing time and about 10 points per game, and the youthful Kings had a somewhat surprising record of 9 wins and 8 losses.
Casspi began playing with Hapoel Holon’s junior teams and turned pro at age 17 with Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2005-06 season. His club went on to win the Israeli Super League title as well as the Euroleague championship.
The following year, Casspi joined Hapoel Galil Elyon on loan and returned to Maccabi in 2007, where he played until 2009, compiling a field goal average of 51 per cent, 71 per cent on free throws, 65 steals, 25 blocks, 3.5 rebounds and averaging 10 points per game.
In 2008 Casspi was voted the Israeli league’s “Sixth Man of the Year,” an award given to the most outstanding first-off-the-bench player.
Casspi has provided a ray of hope for other aspiring young Israelis who want to play in the NBA. Nimrod Tishman recently committed to the University of Florida, and Carmel Bouchman accepted a scholarship to Temple University.
At one time, about 15 to 20 years ago, the University of Connecticut Huskies had several Israelis in their lineups: Uri Cohen-Mintz, whose father, Donchum, was an outstanding player in the 1960s in Israel, as well as Nadav Henefield, Gilad Katz, Doron Sheffer, and female player Orly Grossman.
The only other Jewish player in the NBA today is Jordan Farmar of the Los Angeles Lakers. His Jewish mother, Melinda Kolani, and his dad Damon Farmar, an African-American who once played minor pro baseball as an outfielder, divorced when their son was only two. Farmar’s stepfather is Yehuda Kolani, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, and he and his wife raised their son Jewish.
Last summer the Los Angeles-born Farmar, a 6-2 point guard out of UCLA, hosted basketball clinics in Jerusalem for Jewish and Arab children and was also part of the Chabad Telethon.
