Miki Berkovich's Family Reveals He Has Been Battling Dementia for Over Two Years

The family of Israeli basketball legend Miki Berkovich disclosed on Monday that he has been suffering from dementia for more than two years and that his health condition is poor. This revelation came through a documentary by Niv Raskin titled "What Happened to Miki Berkovich?" aired on Keshet 12. Berkovich's health struggles had been noted previously due to his prolonged absence from public events and basketball games, but this is the first time his family has openly discussed his illness and the challenges he has faced in recent years.

Berkovich, a celebrated figure in Israeli basketball and a longtime star of Maccabi Tel Aviv, recently marked his 72nd birthday away from the public eye. Over the past two years, he has not attended games or appeared publicly. Although he was recently inducted into the Israeli Basketball Hall of Fame, his son Roy accepted the honor on his behalf.

Born in Kfar Saba to Romanian immigrant parents, Berkovich began his basketball journey with Maccabi Tel Aviv at age 11 and joined the senior team at 17. He played 17 consecutive seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning two European Cups, 16 Israeli championships, and 13 national cups, becoming one of the club's and Israel's most iconic players. After leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1988, he continued his career with Maccabi Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Hapoel Tel Aviv before retiring in 1995.

A highlight of his career was leading the Israeli national team to a silver medal at the 1979 European Championship, the team's greatest achievement, where he was named the tournament MVP.