Basketball
Domantas Sabonis and Deni Avdija (Getty Images)
Sports
A Jewish NBA season preview
By Jacob Gurvis
Plus, a Jewish Gold Glove winner?
Domantas Sabonis and Deni Avdija (Getty Images)
October 16, 2026, 1:30 pm
A Jewish NBA season preview
Plus, a Jewish Gold Glove winner?
By Jacob Gurvis
The Lakers logo is displayed outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Aug. 12, 2026. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
August 12, 2026, 8:50 pm
Jewish businessmen Joshua Kushner, Bob Iger buy Los Angeles Lakers for record $12.5b
Jared Kushner’s brother and the longtime Disney CEO kvell at the prospect of owning an “iconic” team.
By Jacob Gurvis
The Empire State Building, JPMorgan Chase Building, and One Vanderbilt in New York City are illuminated in the colors of the New York Knicks during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2026, as seen from Bayonne, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
June 15, 2026, 4:14 pm
The Knicks won on 6/13. Some Jewish fans think that’s more than a coincidence.
The notable number in Jewish tradition already had a Knicks connection.
By Philissa Cramer
Chaim Galbut’s dunking videos went viral in 2025. (Screenshot of YouTube/GREATONE MEDIA/via the Forward)
April 23, 2026, 1:00 pm
An Orthodox Jewish hooper famous for viral dunks aims to break Division-I boundaries
Chaim Galbut is coming to Duquesne University
By Louis Keene
Ben Saraf, Deni Avdija and Danny Wolf share the court during the Portland Trail Blazers-Brooklyn Nets matchup on March 16, 2026. It was the first NBA game to feature three players with Israeli citizenship. (Grace Yagel)
March 17, 2026, 10:17 am
In a first, NBA game features 3 Israelis  
The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Brooklyn Nets 114-95.
By Gabe Friedman
Spike Lee at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game held at the Intuit Dome on Feb. 15, 2026 in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)
February 16, 2026, 11:34 am
Spike Lee, Kyrie Irving wear pro-Palestinian outfits to NBA All-Star Game featuring first Israeli player
Deni Avdija’s performance has swelled pride among Israelis.
By Philissa Cramer
Deni Avdija drives to the basket against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, Jan. 24, 2025, in Charlotte. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
February 2, 2026, 12:49 pm
Deni Avdija becomes first Israeli to be selected as an NBA All-Star
The milestone comes as Avdija has asked, “Why can’t I just be a good basketball player? Why does it matter if I’m from Israel?”
By Jacob Gurvis
Head coach Todd Golden of the Florida Gators looks on during the first half of a game against the Auburn Tigers, Feb. 10, 2024, in Gainesville, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
April 8, 2025, 10:13 am
Florida’s Todd Golden becomes first Jewish coach to win March Madness since 1988
Golden, 39, is also the youngest coach to win it all since the tournament expanded into its current structure in 1985.
By Ben Sales
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 29: Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates after cutting the net following a victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Elite Eight round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament at Prudential Center on March 29, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Lance King/Getty Images)
March 31, 2025, 12:04 pm
The NCAA men’s Final Four has 3 Jewish coaches
Bruce Pearl, Jon Scheyer and Todd Golden will all compete for the March Madness championship.
By Ben Sales
Bruce Pearl celebrates with his team after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Arena, Feb. 1, 2022. (Michael Chang/Getty Images)
March 24, 2025, 11:59 am
Bruce Pearl opens NCAA postgame press conference by calling to ‘bring the hostages home’
All three No. 1 seeds that are coached by Jews in the NCAA men’s tournament are headed to the Sweet Sixteen.
By Ben Sales
L-R: Bruce Pearl, Jon Scheyer, Lindsay Gottlieb and Todd Golden (Getty Images; Scheyer image courtesy of Rabbi Nossen Fellig)
March 17, 2025, 9:59 am
Jewish coaches lead 4 of 8 top seeds in the NCAA’s March Madness tournaments
The men’s basketball teams at Duke, Auburn and Florida all have Jewish coaches, as does USC’s women’s team.
By Ben Sales
Left to right: Yarden Garzon, Todd Golden, Danny Wolf and Lindsay Gottlieb (Getty Images; Design by Mollie Suss)
March 21, 2024, 3:21 pm
9 Jewish college basketball players and coaches to watch during March Madness
In the more than eight decades of the NCAA tournament, only two Jewish coaches have led teams to the title. Is this the year the drought ends?
By Greg Levinsky
(Photo by HeungSoon via Pixabay)
January 8, 2024, 3:41 pm
Basketball coach fired at NY school where players shouted antisemitic slurs at Jewish opponents
Players on Roosevelt’s team were unusually aggressive during the game, leading to injuries on Leffell’s squad.
By Jackie Hajdenberg
Jared Armstrong, right, playing professional basketball in Israel. (Courtesy of Jared Armstrong)
August 25, 2023, 8:17 am
Jared Armstrong, basketball player who fought for Israeli citizenship, is now working to promote Black-Jewish relations
On Sunday, he is running a free basketball clinic for kids in Philadelphia. If all goes well, he hopes to start a two-week summer camp next year to continue this work.
By Jacob Gurvis
Enes Kanter Freedom high-fives campers inside the Jerusalem YMCA. Photo courtesy of SoulShop Studios
August 5, 2022, 11:08 am
NBA player promotes peace in Israel while fulfilling Pittsburgh teaching
Inside a Jersualem gym, Enes Kanter Freedom and Tamir Goodman actualize a lesson conveyed in a Squirrel Hill classroom 25 years ago
By Adam Reinherz
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