BASKETBALL PLAYERS from Israel

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Israeli Basketball Players of all time. This list of famous Israeli Basketball Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Omri Casspi (1988 - )

With an HPI of 31.72, Omri Casspi is the most famous Israeli Basketball Player.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages on wikipedia.

Omri Moshe Casspi (Hebrew: עומרי משה כספי, born June 22, 1988) is an Israeli former professional basketball player. He mainly played at the small forward position, but also played at the power forward position. Casspi was drafted 23rd overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings, making him the first Israeli to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft. With his Kings debut in 2009, Casspi became the first Israeli to play in an NBA game. As a rookie, Casspi was chosen to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge. The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for him in June 2011, and he signed with the Houston Rockets in July 2013. In July 2014, Casspi was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a three-team trade, but was later waived. He then returned to Sacramento prior to the 2014–15 season. In February 2017, he was traded to the Pelicans alongside DeMarcus Cousins, and signed with the Warriors during the offseason. Waived after an April injury, he signed with Memphis in July 2018.

2. Gal Mekel (1988 - )

With an HPI of 27.86, Gal Mekel is the 2nd most famous Israeli Basketball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Gal Mekel (Hebrew: גל מקל, pronounced [ˈɡal ˈmekel]; born March 4, 1988) is an Israeli former professional basketball player. He played for the Dallas Mavericks and spent time in Europe and Israel. He played college basketball for two years at Wichita State University. He then played in the Israeli Super League for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Gilboa Galil, and Maccabi Haifa, and in the Italian Serie A League for Benetton Treviso. He was a two-time Israeli Super League MVP, in 2011 and 2013. He was the Israeli Premier League Assists Leader in 2011 and 2016. In 2013, he signed a three-year minimum fully guaranteed contract with the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the second Israeli to join the NBA; he also holds a Polish passport.

3. Lior Eliyahu (1985 - )

With an HPI of 27.84, Lior Eliyahu is the 3rd most famous Israeli Basketball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Lior Eliyahu (Hebrew: 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 position. He was named the 2012 and 2015 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP.

4. Deni Avdija (2001 - )

With an HPI of 26.21, Deni Avdija is the 4th most famous Israeli Basketball Player.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Deni Avdija ( DEN-ee əv-DEE-yə; Hebrew: דֶנִי אָבְדִיָה, Serbian Cyrillic: Дени Авдија; born 3 January 2001) is an Israeli professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the small forward position. The son of former basketball player Zufer Avdija, he started playing basketball in the fourth grade for his hometown club Bnei Herzliya Basket, and then in 2013 for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He excelled as a youth player. He debuted for their senior team in 2017, at age 16, becoming the youngest player in club history. Two years later, he became the youngest player to ever win the Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP award, and led his team to the Israeli Basketball Premier League championship. In 2020, Avdija declared for the NBA draft and was drafted by the Washington Wizards. He is also a member of the Israeli senior national basketball team. He has won two gold medals for Israel at the youth level, including at the 2019 FIBA U20 European Championship, where he was named tournament's most valuable player.