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Omri Casspi

Omri Casspi is an Israeli former basketball player who in 2009 became the first Israeli to play in an NBA game.

born 1988First Israeli to play in the NBAPlaying for Maccabi Tel AvivCaptaining Israel's national basketball team

Born: 22 June 1988, Yavne
Occupation: basketball player
Education: Gymnasia Realit

Omri Casspi was born in 1988 in Yavne

Casspi was born in Holon in 1988 and grew up in Yavne. His parents, Shimon and Ilana, are of Moroccan-Jewish descent. He has an older brother and a younger sister.

As a child he played for Elitzur Yavne and Maccabi Rishon LeZion. At 13 he joined the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth team. He made his professional debut with Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2005-06 season.

After a loan to Hapoel Galil Elyon, he returned to Maccabi and won the 2008 Israeli League Sixth Man of the Year award. In 2009 the Sacramento Kings picked him 23rd in the NBA draft, the first Israeli chosen in the first round.

In the NBA he played for Sacramento, Cleveland, Houston, Minnesota, Golden State and Memphis. He was waived by Golden State in 2018 due to injury but received a championship ring from the team.

In 2019 he returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv. He also captained Israel's national team and later became a venture capital investor. In 2025 he was an Independence Day torchbearer.