Ex-Hapoel Jerusalem Star Pooh Jeter Appointed Lakers' Scouting Director

Pooh Jeter, a former star player for Hapoel Jerusalem, has been appointed as the new professional scouting director for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jeter, who played for Hapoel Jerusalem during the 2009-2010 season, previously served with the Portland Trail Blazers organization. There, he worked as a player development coach and an assistant general manager for their G-League team.

This appointment is considered one of the significant initial moves by the Lakers in their scouting department under new assistant general manager Eric Mselle. The team's GM, Rob Pelinka, recently stated the organization's intention to expand and build its scouting department.

Jeter had a lengthy playing career, beginning in Europe in 2007. Besides his stint in Jerusalem, where he averaged 12.4 points per game in the EuroCup and shot 40.7% from three-point range, he also played for teams in Spain and China, and was naturalized to play for the Ukrainian national team. A memorable game for Hapoel Jerusalem saw him score 39 points with 9-of-10 three-pointers in a win against Afula in March 2010.

In a recent interview, Jeter spoke about the progress of Israeli basketball, specifically mentioning Deni Avdija's development. He expressed admiration for Avdija's work ethic and character, stating, "His character is everything. He is a better person than he is a basketball player." Jeter also noted that Avdija's experience in the EuroBasket tournament transformed him into a "completely different animal" upon his return to the NBA.