The experienced center (29, 2.11 m), who started the season in the Spanish league, joins the frontcourt on a contract through the end of the season.
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv have signed Zach Hankins through the end of the current season. The experienced American center (29, 2.11 meters) is well acquainted with European basketball, the Israeli Premier League, and life in Israel, and began the season in Spain’s top league.
Hankins, who will wear jersey number 35, is well known to Israeli basketball fans. A long and tough center, he excels at finishing above the rim, playing the pick-and-roll, crashing the offensive glass, and protecting the rim on defense. He played for Maccabi Rishon LeZion at the end of the 2019–20 season and spent two additional seasons with Hapoel Jerusalem, during which he won the Israeli State Cup and was named the league’s Player of the Season.
“Zach brings a strong presence in the paint on both ends of the floor, toughness, and a great deal of experience, especially in the Israeli league,” head coach Oded Kattash explained. “We are confident that he will integrate quickly and contribute to us for the rest of the season.”
“I have always respected Maccabi as a high-level club with an amazing fan base, and I’m excited to take this step and play in Tel Aviv,” Hankins said to the club’s official website. “I’m happy to be part of this special period as the games return to Israel. I can’t wait to get started and help the team in any way I can.”
Hankins was born on July 27, 1996, in Michigan, USA. He began playing the piano at a young age but experienced a growth spurt and started to stand out in basketball during high school. He attended Ferris State University before transferring to Xavier. He later played for Philadelphia in the NBA Summer League, and in the summer of 2019 signed with Nymburk in the Czech Republic, where he competed in the FIBA Basketball Champions League.
In May 2020, following the COVID-19 break, Hankins joined Maccabi Rishon LeZion and helped lead the team to the playoff finals while averaging 12.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He was signed by Galatasaray but chose to return to the United States, where he played in the G League. After a short stint in Puerto Rico, he crossed the Atlantic once again and returned to Israel.
In July 2022, Hankins signed with Hapoel Jerusalem. He stood out in the Basketball Champions League with averages of 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, while in domestic competition he posted 13.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game during the regular season. In the playoffs, he recorded 11.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, was named Player of the Season, and won the Israeli State Cup with the Reds.
He remained with Jerusalem the following season, and last year joined Romanian side Cluj, which competes in the EuroCup. This past July, he signed with Granada and averaged 19.6 minutes per game in the Spanish league. He stood out in a game against Real Madrid, finishing with 16 points and 5 rebounds. He now joins Maccabi’s yellow-and-blue frontcourt.
