Ten years after leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv for the NBA, forward Omri Casspi, 31, returns to the team of his youth, Maccabi Tel Aviv, having signed with the Israeli champion for three seasons, with an overall earnings of $3.5 million. At the end of his contract, Casspi could get a managerial job with the club.
Casspi will be recruited as the main representative of FOX, the group’s sponsor, which will finance much of his contract.
Casspi’s NBA career included seven teams:
Sacramento Kings (2009–2011)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2011–2013)
Houston Rockets (2013–2014)
Return to the Kings (2014–2017)
New Orleans Pelicans (2017)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2017)
Golden State Warriors (2017–2018)
Memphis Grizzlies (2018–2019)
“The truth is that I’m very excited, I didn’t believe I would feel this way,” Casspi told Maccabi Tel Aviv’s official website. “I’m coming home, I’m returning to Maccabi Tel Aviv. I go back to the home where I grew up and learned what it means to play basketball, in this very hall.”
“I came here for the first time at the age of 13,” Casspi said. “I’m proud and excited to wear Maccabi’s jersey with the Star of David on the back. This is a very big privilege. This is the place that basically taught me how to be a winner, what’s the meaning of ambition and of striving for victory at every opportunity. Today Maccabi signed up not just a player, it signed up a fan.”