The Sacramento Kings’ Omri Casspi, Israel’s first player in the NBA, drew loud cheers and chants Feb. 9 during Jewish Heritage Night at New York City’s Madison Square Gardens.
Casspi, playing 45 minutes, contributed 18 points and 9 rebounds as the Kings rallied for a 118-114 overtime victory over the Knick.
“This is not a regular game for me and it was important for me to start strong … show the coach and everybody that I am here to play and focus on basketball,” Casspi said in reports.
Several hours before the game, the Israeli Consulate in New York hosted a reception for Casspi, a first-round draft pick.
Casspi was chosen to play in the Feb. 12 Rookie Challenge against the top second-year players during All-Star Weekend. Casspi is averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds per game. — jta