Gal Mekel set to become second Israeli in the NBA

Star point guard reaches verbal agreement with Dallas for three-year contract worth $2.3 million

Maccabi Haifa point guard Gal Mekel (YouTube screen capture)
Maccabi Haifa point guard Gal Mekel (YouTube screen capture)

Gal Mekel has reached a verbal agreement with the Dallas Mavericks in a three-year deal that would make him only the second Israeli basketball player to reach the NBA.

The deal, which will be officially signed July 10 when the league’s annual moratorium on signings and trades is lifted, was first reported Monday by ESPN’s Marc Stein.

Mekel was a key player during Maccabi Haifa’s 2013 championship run, as he led the team from the north to its first-ever basketball title over powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv.

So far, the only Israeli to play in the league has been forward Omri Casspi, who was drafted 23rd in 2009 by the Sacramento Kings and has since played for the Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 25-year-old Mekel tried out for the Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Dallas Mavericks, and was also interviewed by the Memphis Grizzlies. He was presented with several options to play in the NBA summer league to try and earn a spot on a roster, but was ready to fully commit to the Mavericks.

Eurobasket reported that during Mekel’s rookie season he will earn around $490,000 (NIS 1.7 million), then $816,000 in his second year and  $947,000 in his third year.

Mekel, the 2012-2013 MVP of the Israeli league, began his basketball career with two years of collegiate basketball at Wichita State. He then returned to Israel to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Gilboa/Galil.

In 2010, Mekel led Gilboa Galil to a stunning championship victory over favorite Maccabi Tel Aviv. He then went abroad to play for Italy’s Benetton Treviso but struggled to find his form after several injuries. This past season, Mekel returned to Israel to play for Maccabi Haifa. During the season he was honored as the most valuable player in the league.

Once the deal is signed, Mekel will join a revamped Dallas Mavericks squad led by German superstar Dirk Nowitzki. Mekel will try and help the Mavericks get back to their winning ways after the squad failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 12 years during the 2012-2013 season.

Sports and Culture Minister Limor Livnat (Likud) wished the ball player the best of luck. “Mekel,” she wrote on her Facebook page, “proves that with talent, motivation and hard work, the sky is the limit.”

Maccabi Haifa refused to comment, saying the club was waiting for an official announcement before commenting.

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