Maayan Gorin Rejects Canada to Lead Israel's Young Women's Basketball Team Back to Top Tier

At just 17 years old, Maayan Gorin is emerging as one of Israeli women's basketball's brightest young talents. After declining a prestigious offer to join Canada's U19 national team, Gorin is set to star for Israel's youth teams, aiming to return the Israeli girls' team to Division A in the European Championship starting this Saturday.

Gorin's basketball journey includes standout performances at Wingate Academy and with the Gilboa/Maayanot youth team, where she was named National League Rookie of the Year at age 15. Last summer, she moved to Canada to join Crestwood Preparatory College, a renowned academy known for developing players for college basketball and the WNBA. In her first season there, Gorin averaged 12.3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in the top Canadian and U.S. high school league.

Her impressive stats attracted attention from the Canadian Basketball Federation, especially since her Crestwood coach, Marlo Davis, also coaches Canada's U19 team. Despite an offer to join Canada, Gorin chose to continue representing Israel, a country she has already represented successfully.

Gorin first played for Israel's youth teams in summer 2025, leading the cadet team to maintain Division A status in Europe with an average of 20 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. FIBA has highlighted her as a must-watch player for the upcoming U18 European Championship, praising her scoring ability and all-around game. Gorin is expected to be a key contributor to coach Roy Eisenberg's team as they compete to regain their place among Europe's elite youth teams.