Hapoel Jerusalem officially announced on Wednesday that it has signed guard Jaleen Smith for the next two seasons. The 30-year-old American-Croatian guard, who stands 1.93 meters, joins the club after its semifinal playoff exit and after the team already named Sasha Obradovic as head coach.
Smith is coming off a strong season with Turk Telekom, where he impressed in the Turkish league and in the EuroCup. In the EuroCup quarterfinals, he produced 25 points, including 5 of 10 from three-point range, and six assists in a dramatic win over Hapoel Jerusalem. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.1 assists and 2 rebounds per game in the EuroCup, shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 12.2 points with 3.6 assists in the Turkish league at 36.7 percent from three.
After four years at New Hampshire, Smith began his European career in 2017 to 2018 with Heidelberg in Germany’s second division. He later played for Alba Berlin, where he shared a EuroLeague backcourt with Tamir Blatt and Hapoel Jerusalem captain Yovel Zoosman, and also had spells with Virtus Bologna, Partizan Belgrade and Bahcesehir.
Hapoel Jerusalem said it will play in the EuroCup again next season, and Smith arrives as one of the competition’s more experienced guards. Smith said he was “happy and excited” to join the club, thanked Obradovic and the staff for their trust, and said he is eager to reach Israel and feel the fans’ support. Obradovic called him a player who combines toughness, basketball intelligence, shooting and two-way impact, and said he will be an important part of the roster.
