Sports · Full coverage
Forward JJ Kaplan Signs with Hapoel HaEmek Ahead of 2026/27 Season
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by N12 · Jun 27, 2026
What happened
Hapoel HaEmek signed 29-year-old forward JJ Kaplan from Maccabi Rishon LeZion to strengthen their squad for the 2026/27 Israeli Basketball Premier League season. Kaplan previously played three seasons under coach Sharon Avrahami, who praised his team-oriented play and defensive skills.
- 01JJ Kaplan, 29, signs with Hapoel HaEmek for the 2026/27 basketball season.
- 02Kaplan averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds last season with Maccabi Rishon LeZion.
- 03He previously played three seasons at Ironi Kiryat Ata, averaging 10.5 points in 2024/25.
- 04Coach Sharon Avrahami, who coached Kaplan before, praised his fit with the team's DNA.
- 05Hapoel HaEmek finished sixth in the Israeli Premier League last season and aims to improve.
- 06Kaplan is expected to contribute significantly to the team's goals next season.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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