Former Maccabi Tel Aviv Player Wenyen Gabriel Named UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

Wenyen 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). Born in Khartoum, Sudan, Gabriel fled the civil war as an infant with his family, eventually resettling in the United States. He rose through the basketball ranks, playing in the NBA for several teams including the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Gabriel will represent South Sudan for the first time at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Despite his successful career, Gabriel has maintained strong ties to his homeland. Recently, he visited refugee camps in South Sudan, where he engaged with displaced families, played basketball with children, and inaugurated a new basketball court. He emphasized that protection is a fundamental human right and highlighted the importance of resettlement programs, citing his own life as proof of their positive impact.

Gabriel described his visit as a profound homecoming, expressing both hope and sorrow upon witnessing the challenges faced by refugees. He recounted a moving encounter with a mother in a refugee camp who, like his own family, suffered from separation and uncertainty. Playing basketball with the children was a joyful and unforgettable experience for him, underscoring the need for safe communal spaces for those affected by conflict.

Gabriel's appointment as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador marks a historic moment, combining his athletic influence with humanitarian advocacy to raise awareness about refugees' struggles and resilience.