Miki Berkovich Reveals Dementia Diagnosis in New Documentary at Age 70

Miki Berkovich, widely regarded as Israel's greatest basketball player and one of the country's top athletes, has been diagnosed with dementia, as revealed in the documentary "The Secret of Miki" aired on Channel 12 on Monday. The early signs of his illness began about six years ago but have worsened significantly over the past two years, coinciding with his receipt of the Israel Prize. Currently, Berkovich lives outside his home and receives 24-hour care, surrounded daily by his family.

His son, Roy Berkovich, shared on Facebook the emotional difficulty of publicly disclosing such a private matter, emphasizing that the decision was made out of infinite love and commitment to their father. Since the documentary's release, the family has been overwhelmed by nationwide support and affection, which they find comforting amid this challenging journey. They now seek to protect Miki's privacy and focus on his care.

Berkovich's basketball career began at age 11 with Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth team, progressing to the senior team at 17. He led Israel's youth national team to fourth place in the European Championship and played a pivotal role in Maccabi Tel Aviv's historic 1977 European Champions Cup victory. He earned MVP honors at the 1979 European Championship, where Israel won a silver medal. Despite an offer from the New Jersey Nets, he remained with Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning two European Champions Cups and numerous national titles over 16 seasons.

After leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1988, Berkovich 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. Berkovich's legacy continues through his family, including sons who played in the Israeli Premier League and a grandson recently promoted to Maccabi Ramat Gan's senior team.

His accolades include the Olympic Order in 1996, a 2004 torch lighting honor, recognition as one of the top 50 EuroLeague contributors in 2008, Maccabi Tel Aviv's best player ever in 2010, induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017, a lifetime achievement award in 2022, and the Israel Prize in 2024.