A historical moment for Israeli basketball: Omri Casspi is picked by the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft, and may become the first Israeli to play in the NBA.
By Amy Samin
Omri Casspi has made Israeli basketball history by becoming the first Israeli to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft.
He was chosen by the Sacramento Kings, who currently hold the dubious honor of having the worst record in the league (they were 17 – 65 in the 2008/09 season).
Casspi joins the ranks of other international players on the King’s roster, such as point guard Beno Udrih (formerly of Maccabi Tel Aviv) and forward Andres Nocioni, as well as guards Bobby Jackson and Rashad McCants.
The pick assures Casspi of a contract with a team in the best basketball league in the world, and opens the door for him to become the first Israeli ever to play in the NBA.
Recently, former NBA player and coach Paul Westphal took on the position of head coach of Sacramento.
One of Casspi’s best practices on the eve of the draft took place before the King’s staff.
After exchanging hugs with the friends and family who were with him throughout the draft picks, and shedding a few tears of excitement, Casspi told a reporter from the Sport 5 website, “Wow.
I can’t talk.
You wait for a moment like this for so long, and there’s a lot of stress.
Suddenly Portland chooses a player who didn’t come to the practices, and you have no idea what’s going to happen.
I’ve waited for this moment all my life.
Now I need to fly over there and sign the contract.
Sacramento told me they were debating between me and two other candidates who were in the draft, and they chose me.
I’m very happy.
I understood that they really wanted me and liked me.
They followed me for a long time.
I’m very excited.
It’s a dream come true.”
“I’m as happy as can be.
We’ve made history.
We still need to finalize all the details, but I feel like I’m in a dream.
My whole career developed a step at a time, with ups and downs but always in the right direction.
I’m very happy to be where I am right now.
I’m content,” Casspi concluded.
Ilana Casspi, Omri’s mother, thanked Ziv Erez, Roni Bosani, Zvika Sherf, Sharon Drucker, Avi Kovalski and Pini Gershon, her son’s coaches in recent years, and added, “We’ve made Omri’s and our dream come true.”
