Israeli WNBA player Shay Doron to play for Israel's Elitzur Ramle
Doron left Israel seven years ago in pursuit of basketball glory in the U.S., expected to return to WNBA after season in Israel ends.
By The Associated Press Tags: Israel basketballShay Doron, the only Israeli ever to play in the Women's National Basketball Association, on Tuesday signed a contract with Israeli powerhouse Elitzur Ramle, and will begin playing for the defending champion this October following the conclusion of her rookie WNBA season.
Israel has become a top draw for WNBA players in recent years. Last season, 17 NBA players spent their winter in Israel. WNBA salaries for the three-month summer season range from about $31,000 to $90,000, so even top players travel the world each winter in search of extra cash. In Israel, top American players can make as much as $120,000 a season.
"Israel is my home," Doron said Wednesday, in an interview with Israel's Army Radio. "I want to give back to the fans and family that were behind me through all the years I wasn't here. I hope it will help woman's basketball in Israel."
Doron, 22, left Israel for the U.S. seven years ago in pursuit of basketball glory.
She enrolled at Christ the King High School in New York City, a legendary basketball breeding ground, before being recruited to Maryland University, where she was a two-time All-American.
She graduated as the second-leading scorer in school history. In her junior year, the 1.75 meter guard led Maryland to a National Collegiate Athletic Association championship title.
In April, she was selected by the New York Liberty in the first round of the WNBA draft and became the only Israeli ever to play in the world's top women's basketball league.
Three Israeli men have been selected in the NBA draft, but none went on to play in the league.
In New York, Doron has mostly languished on the bench, appearing in only seven games, averaging five minutes of playing time a game and scoring just 1.4 points-a-game.
On Friday, Doron's Liberty kick off their first-round playoff battle against the defending WNBA champion Detroit Shock.
Elitzur Ramle Chairman Shmulik Levkovitz said Doron was a huge addition to his team, both in its quest to succeed in European competition and its effort to reach out to the community and fans. Attendance for the woman's league in Israel lags far behind that of the men's.
"She is the No. 1 Israeli player," Levkovitz said. "We have a diamond in our hand."
Levkovitz would not disclose any details of the contract. Doron is expected to return for a second season in the WNBA next summer.
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Israeli basketball star Shay Doron. (AP) |
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Basketball was a Palestinian invention. It was stolen by the Jews, the Israelis and the Americans! Just kidding! But somewhere I bet someone is going to make that claim!
I mean lets be fair.....with all of the other articles recently what makes her any different? i am sure she is a wonderful young woman but what makes her actions any different than any other young man or woman who skips out on their national service? shahar peer manages to make her contribution....rafaeli bar didn't....i hear everyone bitch and moan about the chareidim but is it only ok to blow off your national service if you're from "north tel aviv" the article should read Israeli wnba player, draft dodher, shay doron....."......but it won't and the media will continue to bash the chareidim for exercising their rights under the current law.... you don't like the current law then change it just stop complaining and then do nothing
Actually, WNBA players usually go elsewhere for the offseason and then come back to play in the WNBA the next season in order to make money. She'll be back in America soon enough.
Kol Hacavod, America is in Israel, American dreams are built on sand, America demands alot of assimilation to make it, Shay Doron felt the need to go to Catholic High School to make her chances better, what a travesty, hopefully it didn't affect her, Israel is the best place for Jews and a great country nonetheless, and Shay Doron's home, I am so happy that America did not get its piece of flesh.