Omri Casspi Omri Casspi made history, when the Sacramento Kings opened its season this year, as the first Israeli to ever play in the NBA. The rookie had a dream start, scoring 15 points in only 19 minutes.

His team however, did not fare as well, losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder 102-89. Casspi, however, made seven of nine shots and grabbed three rebounds.

Interviewed on Israel Army radio the following morning, Casspi was pleased with his achievement, while disappointed with the game’s result: “... I would have preferred to score six or eight points and win,” he said.

Responding to a question about how it felt to make history, he said, “When I was in the dressing room, I sat and thought about where I had started... and I said to myself: ‘Wow... I’m going to compete for the first time in an NBA game... and I’m making history for our country, being the first Israeli player. And I thought ‘I’ve come a long way.’ I had a big smile on my face and I said to myself, ‘Let’s enjoy this night.’”

The Kings are scheduled to play the 76ers in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Casspi’s website, www.casspi.com) But the Israeli player said he had no time to dwell on his first game, adding that, “Life in the NBA is very fast and we still have 81 games to play.”

Casspi, a first round draft pick for the Kings, hopes his tenacity and passion for the game will keep him in the NBA.

For his countrymen, who mostly have to get out of bed at four in the morning to catch live broadcasts of the NBA, Casspi’s debut with the Sacramento Kings was a matter of history in the making. No Israeli had ever suited up in an NBA jersey.

Last week, when the Philadelphia 76ers played the Kings in Sacramento, Casspi was the top Kings’scorer - along with guard-forward teammate Donte Greene. Both had 21 points.

A recent news report in USA Today said that Casspi continues to “make a case as the biggest steal of the June draft.” As of last Saturday the Israeli rookie was averaging 15.6 points per game in his last 13 games, shooting 49.3 percent in that span (71 of 144) overall and 45.2 percent from 3- point range (24 of 53). His scoring (12.5 points per game) ranked fourth among rookies to that point, while his overall shooting (50 percent) ranked third among rookies and his 3-point percentage (45.6) was first among rookies and sixth in the league at large. He maintained his fine play last Saturday, when he scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Dallas.

Casspi’s NBA career began back in July, when Sacramento tagged him for its 23rd NBA Draft pick, making him the first Israeli to be selected in the draft’s first round. Now the 21-year-old, six foot nine inches tall, small forward has to live up to being something of a national obsession: The greatest hope in Israeli basketball history.

First, there’s the small matter of adapting to life in the U.S. “It’s not easy arriving at an unfamiliar place,” his father, Shimon Casspi, tells ISRAEL21c. “He’s had to start everything from zero – for example finding somewhere to live, buying a car and opening a bank account. The local Jewish community, in particular, is really embracing him. They are warm and supportive, and there are also some Israelis living there who are helping him.

“We speak every day. He has settled in well, and tells me about the good atmosphere in Sacramento. His brother Eitan is with him at all times,” says Shimon, who adds that Eitan quit his studies to become Omri’s personal manager. They share a rented house, so that when his brother gets home from practice he has everything he needs.

“He has learned to deal with the media pressure, and his English is excellent thanks to the American players at Maccabi. In all, I would say that his entry into this whole new world has been smooth. Touch wood – he feels good. All this means that his pre-season preparation has been good,” says the proud dad.

Casspi was born and raised in the urbane town of Yavne, south of Tel Aviv. His career began with Hapoel Holon’s junior team, and he made his professional debut as a raw 17-year-old with Israel’s basketball powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2005-06 season.

After gaining valuable court time onloan with Hapoel Galil Elyon for the 2006-07 campaign, he returned to the perennial national champions in the summer of 2007 and became a key player on the Maccabi Tel Aviv’s multinational roster. Following the 2009 Draft, he signed a reported three-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings.

Other Israeli hoopsters have tried to make the NBA grade in the past. Back in 1979, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s rising star Miki Berkowitz – who went on to become one of Europe’s outstanding hoopsters – wanted to join the Atlanta Hawks, but Maccabi refused to release him.

Two decades later, Maccabi’s Oded Katash landed a two-year contract with the New York Knicks, but the NBA lockout and contractual issues killed the deal. In recent years Doron Shefer, Lior Eliyahu and Yotam Halperin were drafted, all in the second round, but failed to make the big-time.

What makes Casspi special, says his father, is his passion for basketball. “He loves the sport and wants to play in every game. When he was a child, he would wake up early in the morning to watch the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan was his hero.”