Israeli Basketball Federation Chair Hopes Deni Avdija Joins National Team in August

Amos Frishman, chairman of the Israeli Basketball Federation, addressed recent controversies regarding the naturalization process for players and the absence of key athletes from the national team during a July 27 interview on Sport 5. He explained that a committee was established to set criteria for selecting naturalized players, emphasizing that no specific names were discussed initially. After recommendations were submitted, officials Eldad Akunis and Shimon Mizrahi requested to present their comments to the committee, including a proposal that naturalized players be eligible only for the national team and not for the domestic league. Frishman rejected this idea as illogical.

Frishman responded to claims by Ofer Yanai suggesting he had pushed for the naturalization of player Dan Oturu, calling the accusations unfounded and stating he had not contacted Yanai recently. He clarified that while Hapoel Tel Aviv approached him about Oturu, he is not part of the committee responsible for player selection and criticized Yanai for making disrespectful claims without basis. Frishman urged Yanai to file formal complaints if he believes corruption exists.

Regarding players missing from the national team, Frishman announced that athletes granted elite status in the military will be required to sign long-term contracts with the federation, including significant fines for failing to attend national team duties. He shared a personal anecdote about returning from a game shortly after his daughter’s birth to illustrate commitment. On the possibility of Deni Avdija joining the team in the August window, Frishman expressed hope and said Avdija is actively working on the matter, but he could not confirm his participation yet.

The interview highlighted ongoing tensions within Israeli basketball over player naturalization and national team participation, with the federation seeking clearer rules and stronger commitments from top players moving forward.