Alright, let’s talk about these basketball fellas, the ones in the NBA. You know, the tall guys dribbling the ball and throwin’ it in the hoop. Heard some folks talkin’ ’bout the Jewish ones, so I figured I’d chime in. Don’t know much about fancy stuff, but I know what I see, ya know?
So, they say there’s been Jewish players in the NBA for a long, long time. Way back before them fellas everyone talks about, like that Kobe fella and that Michael Jordan. Even before my old man was kickin’ rocks, probably. It’s kinda like them old stories, passed down from generation to generation.
Now, they got this one boy, Deni Avdija, they say he’s from Israel. He’s playin’ in the NBA right now. Just a young fella, still figurin’ things out, I reckon. He’s playin’ with the Portland Trail Blazers now. Jumpin’ from team to team, kinda like them young folks these days, never stayin’ put for too long.
Then there’s this whole bunch of other fellas, they say they’re Jewish too. Lots of ’em, apparently. Names I can’t even pronounce, all jumbled up like a ball of yarn. They got lists and lists of ’em, pages and pages. Guess them Jewish folks been busy playin’ ball.
- One fella, Ossie Schectman, they say he was the first Jewish player in the NBA. First one! Can you imagine that? Brave fella, I bet. Scorin’ the first basket ever. That’s somethin’ to tell your grandkids about, ain’t it?
- Then there’s Amar’e Stoudemire, Larry Brown, Doug Schayes, and Jordan Farmar, all big names, they say. Never seen ’em play myself, but folks say they were good. Real good.
- And that Art Heyman fella, they call him a legend. Played for Duke, whatever that is. Guess he was a big deal back in the day.
You know, it reminds me of them old stories about how Jewish folks came to America. Workin’ hard, tryin’ to fit in, makin’ a life for themselves. Basketball, I guess, was one way they did that. Showin’ everyone they could play just as good as anyone else, maybe even better.
It’s kinda like plantin’ a seed, ya know? You plant it, you water it, and you watch it grow. These Jewish fellas, they planted themselves in the NBA, and they grew. They became stars, some of ’em. Showed the world what they could do.
So, yeah, there’s been a whole heap of Jewish players in the NBA. Some famous, some not so famous. But they all got one thing in common: they love the game. And that’s all that matters, ain’t it? Whether you’re Jewish, or not Jewish, or whatever, if you can play ball, you can play ball. That’s the way I see it, anyways.
Jewish American basketball players have a long history. It’s a story about tryin’ hard and doin’ your best. It’s a story about folks finding a way to shine, no matter where they come from. And that, I reckon, is a story worth tellin’. Makes you think, don’t it? All them fellas, runnin’ and jumpin’, shootin’ that ball. It’s somethin’ special.
Tags: [NBA, Jewish, Basketball, Players, Sports, History, American, Athletes, Deni Avdija, Ossie Schectman]
