Why the Israel NBA Pipeline Suddenly Feels Real

For a country who really loves basketball, that it took so long for an Israeli to make it in the NBA really was an anomaly. Omri Casspi was player-zero. When the Sacramento Kings drafted him in the 2009 NBA Draft, he became the first Israeli-born player to appear in an NBA game. He would go on to spend a decade in the league, playing his part as the wandering Jew playing ball for seven teams. You’re a trivia champ if you can name all seven!

The closest he came to a championship was when he was waived by the Warriors during the 2017/18 season. The Warriors went on to win the title without Casspi but still gave him a ring. 

Everything changed with Deni Avdija who was selected as pick 9 by the Washington Wizards in the 2020 draft. The Wizards had no idea what to do with Avdija and he was neither here nor there. Another top prospect that was on the verge of fizzling out. Avdija was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and at the time, supposed trade experts said the Wizards won the deal hands down. Whatever assets the Blazers were going away far exceeded Avdija’s value – until Portland was able to extract the best out of him.

Then this made what the Wizards return look minuscule. For not only did Avdija raise his game to such a level and not only was he voted to be an All-Star, he got the Trail Blazers into the playoffs. 

And while it’s the laziest of lazy tropes to paint a nation’s athletes with the same brush, this is what happens. If Avdija had been a bust, all future Israeli prospects would have been viewed through the same lens.

Now being an Israeli is a plus and with the league becoming more and more open to international talent, there are more Israelis in the NBA than ever before. The Brooklyn Nets have Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.

Israeli-American Emanuel Sharp, the son of Maccabi Tel Aviv legend Derrick Sharp, was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the most recent draft and there could be more on the way.

It’s a long journey to get from the playgrounds of Israel to Madison Square Garden but the kids of today see that it’s possible – they see the blueprint for success.

Casspi showed everyone where the door is, which allowed Avdija to walk through it. The next generation will just stroll through it like it’s nothing at all. 

As for the WNBA, young Israeli girls have to go through the same thing, but once the first kicks down the door, you can be assured many more will follow her.