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In Israel, basketball is a popular sport, with a multi-tiered professional club league system, as well as men's and women's national teams.

Professional league structure

Israeli Basketball Premier League

Ligat Ha'Al or the Israeli Premier League, is the top tier level league of basketball competition in Israel, making it Israel's primary basketball competition. Ligat HaAl comprises the top twelve basketball clubs, and was founded in 1954.

Liga Leumit

Liga Leumit is the second tier level league of basketball competition.

The league contains 14 clubs that compete in a home-and-away round-robin. At the end of the season, the top eight clubs advance to the play-offs. The first round is played on a best-of-three basis. The four winning clubs advance to two best-of-five playoffs, the winners of which are promoted to the Super League. The two teams that finish at the bottom of the table are relegated to Liga Artzit.

Liga Artzit

Liga Artzit is the third tier level league of basketball competition. The league contains 24 clubs (in two districts of 12 teams each one), which compete in a home-and-away round-robin. At the end of the season, the first team from each district (South/North) is promoted to the Liga Leumit. The two teams that finish at the bottom of the table are relegated to Liga Alef.

Liga Alef

Liga Alef is the fourth tier in Israeli Basketball.

Liga Bet

Liga Bet is the fifth and lowest level tier in Israeli Basketball.

State Cups

Israeli Basketball State Cup

The Israeli Basketball State Cup is the second most important basketball competition in Israel, after Ligat HaAl. The tournament began in 1956, and is run by the IBA. The tournament format consists rounds each consisting of one game elimination matches.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has won the most tournaments, having won 45, last winning the contest in the 2020–21 season.

Israeli Basketball National League Cup

The tournament cup for teams from the second division. tournament held since 2021.

Israeli Basketball League Cup

The Israeli Basketball League Cup is a pre-season basketball tournament held since 2006. It is held the week before the Ligat HaAl season.

Men's team title holders

Israel national basketball teams

The combined Men's and Women's basket team is ranked 55th in the world, and 23rd in the Europe.

Men's

The Israel national basketball team is a men's basketball team that represents Israel in international competitions.

The Israeli team has participated 28 times in the European championship tournament. Their best achievements were a silver medal in 1979, and 5th place in 1953 and 1977. Israel is currently ranked 37th in the world by FIBA, and 14th in Europe (July 2014). Israel will also be the host nation of the competition in 2017.

Women's

The Israel women's national basketball team is a women's basketball team that represents Israel in international competitions.

The women's team is ranked 36th in the world, and 16th in Europe. (July 2014)

They have competed in the EuroBasket Women's tournament 6 times, but have won no metals. Their highest ever finish was 8th place in 1991.

All-time participation table

Combined table of men's and women's basketball teams, both senior and youth teams. Not included two discontinued competitions: Men's U-21 World Championship (three participations in four editions) and Women's U-21 World Championship for Women (one participation in two editions). Not included either, Mediterranean Games.

Arenas

There are Seven main and Big basketball arenas in Israel which are:

• Ashkelon Sports Arena
• Conch Arena
• Drive in Arena
• Holon Toto Hall
• Menora Mivtachim Arena
• Pais Arena Jerusalem
• Romema Arena

Israel Basketball Association

The IBA is the official governing body of basketball in Israel. The organization oversees every aspect of the sport including:

• Team and player registration,
• League rules,
• Issuing league schedules
• Certifying match results
• Referees and Statisticians certification, and
• The National team.

The IBA also handles associating with international bodies such as FIBA and Euroleague Basketball (company) (who organizes the Euroleague).

NBA connections

Amare Stoudemire

Amare Stoudemire, from the National Basketball Association, best known for his time with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks, in the summer of 2013, became a major shareholder of Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club together with sports agent Arn Tellem and Ori Allon. The team moved into its new home, the Jerusalem Arena, in August 2014. Stoudemire, in the summer of 2014 was scheduled to conduct his first camp in Israel, in Tel Aviv. Due to Operation Protective Edge he canceled the camp on 14 July. He ended up playing for Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

NBA/WNBA players from Israel

Omri Casspi played for seven different teams over a ten-year NBA career. He was drafted 23rd overall in the 2009 NBA draft, making him the first Israeli to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft.

Gal Mekel, returned to Israel in 2016 after previously playing for the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. He previously played college basketball for two years at Wichita State.

Deni Avdija currently plays for the Washington Wizards.

Shay Doron, in 2007 played for the New York Liberty.

See also

• Sport in Israel
• Baseball in Israel
• Ice hockey in Israel
• American Football in Israel

References

1. LTD, Art-Up. "גם מנהלת ליגת העל בכדורסל בגביע WINNER: מכבי ת'א מחזיקת הגביע". מנהלת ליגת העל בכדורסל. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
2. "ONE - מספר 1 בספורט". ONE - מספר 1 בספורט (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
3. "Israeli State Cup final: February 7, 2013 - Israel - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL". Archived from the original on 2013-02-14.
4. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, combined - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
5. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, combined - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
6. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, men - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on April 27, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
7. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, men - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on April 27, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
8. "Finland, Israel, Romania and Turkey To Host FIBA EuroBasket 2017 - FIBA Europe". fibaeurope.com. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
9. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, women - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
10. "FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE, women - FIBA.basketball". FIBA.basketball. Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
11. "Israeli Basketball, News, Teams, Scores, Stats, Standings, Awards - eurobasket". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
12. "IBA Official Site". Archived from the original on 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
13. "Israel Basketball Camp - Amar'e Stoudemire". Amar'e Stoudemire. 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
14. "Official NBA bio of Omri Casspi | NBA.com". NBA.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
15. "Gal Mekel". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
16. "Gal Mekel - 2006-07". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
17. "Deni Avdija|Washington Wizards". NBA.com.
18. "Shay Doron went from Israel to New York to Maryland, just to play basketball". ESPN.com. 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2017-12-11.

v t e Basketball in Israel
Israeli Basketball Association
National Teams	Men Israel U20 U18 U16 3x3 Women Israel U20 U18 U16 3x3
Leagues	Men Premier League Liga Leumit Liga Artzit Women Premier League
Cups	Men State Cup League Cup National League Cup Women State Cup

• Basketball in Israel