CJ Albi Chooses Hapoel HaEmek Over Hapoel Jerusalem for Israeli Basketball Return

CJ Albi, a standout guard/forward from last season's Israeli Basketball Premier League, has agreed to join Hapoel HaEmek after recent negotiations with Hapoel Jerusalem fell through. The 26-year-old, who stands 1.98 meters tall, was persuaded to sign with the northern team by Yonatan Alon, a former Hapoel Jerusalem player and current professional manager of Hapoel HaEmek. Alon convinced Albi during the Las Vegas Summer League to opt for HaEmek instead of the capital's club.

Last season, Albi averaged 18.1 points per game with impressive shooting percentages (63.6% two-point, 32.3% three-point, 80.2% free throw), along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. His best performance came against Maccabi Ramat Gan, scoring 36 points in 37 minutes. Drafted 46th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Albi played 90 NBA games from 2020 to 2022, averaging 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

He first arrived in Israel in April 2023 with Bnei Herzliya before returning to the G League and playing stints in Mexico and Turkey's second division. His signing with Hapoel HaEmek marks a significant acquisition for the club as he prepares for a strong return to Israeli basketball.