Black Israeli Basketball Player Faces Double Standards
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Magi Eizeh, a 22-year-old basketball player for Bnei Yehuda, has been called up to the Israeli national team, feeling she must work twice as hard due to her background and race. Starting basketball at 15, she has excelled in the Premier League, averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds. Eizeh believes she faces prejudice, being perceived as less serious because she is Black, and aims to be a role model. Her ultimate dream is to start a family, which may influence her future in the sport.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Magi Eizeh earned a national team call-up, feeling she must work twice as hard due to her background and race.
- Eizeh, who started basketball at 15, is a prominent player for Bnei Yehuda in Israel's Premier League.
- She believes her race leads to perceptions of her being less serious and requires her to prove professionalism.
- Eizeh is a role model for young players, coaching and managing within her club.
- Her ultimate dream is to have a family, potentially impacting her basketball career's longevity.
Magi Eizeh, a 22-year-old basketball player for Bnei Yehuda, has become a prominent figure in Israeli women's basketball this season. Despite starting the sport at age 15 and being only 1.78 meters tall, Eizeh has earned a call-up to the Israeli national team after just four games in the Premier League. She attributes her success to hard work and dedication, noting that she feels she has to work twice as hard as others due to both her background with Bnei Yehuda and her race.
Eizeh, who has a Yemeni mother and Nigerian father, grew up in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv. She initially resisted playing basketball but was inspired by her brother and later recruited by coach Tal Dawik. After a rapid ascent, she helped Bnei Yehuda achieve promotion to the Premier League last year. This season, she is averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, ranking high in league statistics for shooting percentages among Israeli players.
Eizeh feels that her race, and the perception of Black individuals as inherently comedic or unserious, forces her to prove her professionalism and seriousness more than others. She acknowledges that while she hasn't personally experienced overt racism from fans at her home games, due to the supportive local crowd, she is aware of the potential for derogatory comments in other contexts. She also noted that she might be the first Black Israeli woman to play for the national team, joking about naturalized players.
She credits her coach, Tal Dawik, as a significant partner in her development, describing their relationship as a team effort. Eizeh also coaches younger players in the club and has taken on administrative duties, demonstrating a deep commitment to Bnei Yehuda, which she considers her home. Looking ahead, Eizeh's ultimate dream is to have a family, and she acknowledges that her basketball career might be her last season, as she weighs the sacrifices required for her personal aspirations.
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Coverage from N12
