The point guard, who played alongside Lonnie Walker in Philadelphia, signed for two seasons: “Can’t wait to play for such a traditional club”. Coldebella: “He brings basketball IQ and a desire to compete”
Dowtin is an athletic and intelligent point guard known for creating off the dribble for himself and his teammates, with particularly impressive shooting percentages from beyond the arc. A University of Rhode Island graduate, he also demonstrates strong one-on-one defense and sharp instincts for stealing the ball.
“I’m very happy to arrive in Tel Aviv and play for Maccabi”, confirmed Dowtin Jr. to Maccabi.co.il. “I can’t wait to start my new chapter in Europe and play for such a traditional club with an amazing fan base. I want to thank the management and coaching staff for the opportunity, let’s get it!”.
“The addition of Jeff to our organization and our team is cause for great optimism and excitement”, stated general manager Claudio Coldebella. “He’s a player we’ve been following for years. An elite and versatile point guard, he scores and puts enormous pressure on the defense with his passing and court reading. His NBA experience is invaluable for our roster, its chemistry, and our internal cohesion. He brings to Tel Aviv a great basketball IQ, a tireless work ethic, a passion for the game and daily improvement, and a desire to compete that will improve our team immeasurably. We’re thrilled to have Jeff and his family in yellow and blue and welcome them to our beautiful city with the greatest enthusiasm and warmth possible.”
“Jeff is a player with great potential”, added coach Oded Kattash. “He is an athlete who can create scoring opportunities for himself and others, and possesses high basketball IQ that will help him find his footing in European basketball. We are certain that he will bring lots of energy and a passion for success”.
Jeff Dowtin Jr. was born on May 10, 1997, in the small town of Upper Marlboro, Maryland — a community of around 650 people near Washington, D.C. Despite its size, the town has produced several notable basketball players, including Victor Oladipo, Markelle Fultz, and former Eilat player Bryon Allen.
Maccabi’s new point guard excelled at St. John’s College High School in Washington, averaging 15 points and 5 assists per game, before committing to Rhode Island for his college career. He played four seasons with the Rams, averaging 11 points and nearly 4 assists per game, and led the team to its only two NCAA Tournament appearances in this millennium, in 2017 and 2018.
His professional basketball journey began with the Orlando Magic’s G-League affiliate in the 2020/21 season. The following year, he joined Golden State, making 4 NBA appearances and standing out primarily with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League. Dowtin continued to move around, playing for Milwaukee, returning to Orlando, and then heading to Toronto, before representing Philadelphia over the past two seasons.
With the Sixers, Dowtin appeared in 12 games during the 2023/24 season, averaging about 12 minutes and just over 4 points per game, shooting 47.4% from three-point range. This past season, coach Nick Nurse gave him 41 opportunities to take the floor, which he turned into averages of 7 points (40% from three) and 2 assists in 15 minutes per game. Simultaneously, he starred for Philadelphia’s G-League team, averaging 24.6 points (43.4% from three) and 4 assists per game.
