The Sacramento Kings signed forward Omri Casspi this week, keeping the Israeli on the basketball team that originally drafted him six years ago.
Casspi signed a two-year deal reportedly worth $6 million on July 14. This is his second stint in Sacramento; he spent his first two years with the Kings before playing two seasons with Cleveland and one with Houston. In 2009, he became the first Israeli to play in the NBA.
Back with the Kings last season after signing as a free agent, the 6-foot-9 native of Holon (near Tel Aviv) had several big games after George Karl took over as coach in February. He averaged 19.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game over the final eight games. Overall last year, he played in 67 games, averaging 8.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, mostly off the bench.
The 27-year-old Casspi wanted to return to Sacramento and waited out the first week of free agency.
“I want to come back here so badly,” Casspi told the Sacramento Bee a couple of months ago. “I love the community and I feel like the team is finally moving in the right direction. George Karl’s system is great.”
Casspi also told the Bee that if he did sign with the Kings again, his girlfriend Shani Ruderman, who practiced law in Israel, planned to take the California bar exam. She has been taking classes at Sacramento State to improve her English-language skills, Casspi said.
“Shani loves it here,” he said. “We both do.”
After signing, Casspi posted a picture on Instagram of him signing his contract with the headline: “A King for two more!” — j. staff