Former Maccabi Tel Aviv Player Waneen Gabriel Named UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

Waneen Gabriel, a former Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball player and South Sudan national team center, has become the first professional basketball player appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Gabriel, who fled South Sudan as an infant during the civil war and later became an NBA player, now visits refugee camps in his homeland to raise awareness and support.

Born in Khartoum, Sudan, Gabriel's family fled the civil war, initially relocating to Egypt before resettling in the United States when he was two years old. His mother worked as a cleaner and his father as a security guard during their early years in Cairo. Gabriel began playing basketball in the U.S., eventually joining the NBA after a standout college career at the University of Kentucky. He has played for several NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Memphis Grizzlies.

In the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gabriel represented South Sudan for the first time in history. Despite his successful career, he has maintained strong ties to his homeland, recently visiting refugee camps where he met with displaced families, played basketball with children, and inaugurated a new basketball court. Gabriel emphasized that protection is a fundamental human right, not a privilege, and highlighted the importance of resettlement programs, citing his own life as evidence of their positive impact.

Reflecting on his visit, Gabriel expressed mixed emotions of hope and sadness, noting the joy of reconnecting with family and community alongside the harsh realities faced by refugees. A poignant moment for him was meeting a mother in a refugee camp who, like his own family, suffered from separation and uncertainty. Gabriel described playing basketball with the children as an unforgettable experience and stressed the need for safe communal spaces for those affected by conflict.

Gabriel’s appointment as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador marks a historic milestone, combining his sports career with humanitarian advocacy to support displaced people in South Sudan and beyond.