Israeli Basketball Legend Shimon 'Chinga' Shalev Dies at 94

Shimon "Chinga" Shalev, a pioneering figure in Israeli basketball, passed away at the age of 94. Shalev began his career with Hapoel Tel Aviv, becoming a club legend both as a player and later as a coach. He led Hapoel Tel Aviv to its first-ever championship and secured four league titles and a national cup with the team.

Shalev was also a prominent player for the Israeli national basketball team, participating in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and multiple European Championships. As a coach, he guided the national team to four consecutive European Championships and led them to gold and silver medals at the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1966 and 1970, respectively.

Born to a footballer father from Vilnius, Shalev immigrated to Israel at a young age. He started playing basketball in Hapoel Tel Aviv’s youth system and served in the IDF’s Nahal basketball team, winning the IDF championship. After retiring as a player, he dedicated decades to advancing Israeli basketball as a coach and mentor.

Israeli basketball organizations, including Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli Basketball Association, and the Winner League, expressed condolences and honored Shalev’s legacy as one of the sport’s founding fathers in Israel. His contributions spanned from his playing days to his successful coaching career, leaving a lasting impact on Israeli basketball.