Israeli Basketball Legend Miki Berkovich Revealed to Suffer from Severe Dementia

Miki Berkovich, widely regarded as one of Israel's greatest basketball players, has been officially revealed to suffer from severe dementia. This disclosure was made public on Monday during the broadcast of the documentary "Miki Berkovich's Last Basket" on Channel 12. Berkovich's family agreed to share the private struggle they have kept hidden for over two years, shortly before he received the Israel Prize for Outstanding Athletes in 2024. In recent months, Berkovich has been living in a care facility away from his home, with the film highlighting his family's efforts to cope with his complex condition.

Berkovich, born to Romanian parents, began his basketball career at age 11 with Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth team, discovered by legendary coach Yehoshua Rozin. By 17, he joined the senior team and led Israel's youth national team to fourth place in the European Championship. At 21, he briefly studied at UNLV before returning to Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 1977, at 23, he led Maccabi to a historic European Champions Cup victory. He also earned a silver medal and MVP honors at the 1979 European Championship with the Israeli national team. Despite an offer from the New Jersey Nets, he remained with Maccabi due to club restrictions.

Berkovich won two European Champions Cups, 16 Israeli league titles, and 13 national cups over 16 seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv. After 1988, he played for Maccabi Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Hapoel Tel Aviv before retiring as the second-highest scorer in Israeli league history. Post-retirement, he founded an insurance agency and managed basketball teams. He is married with three children, two of whom played in the Israeli Premier League, and his grandson recently joined Maccabi Ramat Gan's senior team.

His accolades include the Olympic Order Silver Medal (1996), induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame (2017), and the 2024 Israel Prize for Outstanding Athletes. The documentary sheds light on both his illustrious career and his current health challenges, offering a rare glimpse into the personal impact of dementia on a national sports icon.