Israeli Sports Year in Review: Titles, Medals, and NBA Star Avdija

The Hebrew sports year תשפ"ו (roughly September 2025 to September 2026) was marked by significant achievements across various disciplines, including domestic league championships, cup victories, and historic international medals. In football, Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured their sixth league title, while Maccabi Tel Aviv won the State Cup, defeating Be'er Sheva in the final. Beitar Jerusalem claimed the Toto Cup. In European competitions, Hapoel Be'er Sheva advanced to the Europa League group stage, facing strong opponents.

Domestically, Maccabi Tel Aviv dominated basketball, winning both the league championship for a record 58th time and the State Cup. Hapoel Tel Aviv also had a notable season, reaching the EuroLeague playoffs for the first time in their history. However, the standout individual story was Deni Avdija, who achieved historic success in the NBA. Avdija became the first Israeli to be selected for the NBA All-Star Game and continued to perform at a high level for the Portland Trail Blazers, transitioning from a key player to an international star.

Israel also celebrated considerable success in Olympic sports. Artem Dolgopyat won his third European Championship gold medal in gymnastics. In judo, Raz Hershko secured a European Championship gold, and Yitzhak Aspiz won a bronze. The Israeli marathon team won their third consecutive European team gold, with Gashaw Ayele also taking an individual bronze. The men's recurve archery team won gold at the European Championships, as did the mixed doubles pair. Israel also had a notable presence at the Winter Olympics, including a historic debut for its bobsled team.

The year תשפ"ו is summarized as a period where Israeli sports delivered championships in football and basketball, impressive performances in Olympic disciplines, and a historic breakthrough in the NBA. The focus now shifts to building on this momentum in the upcoming year תשפ"ז.