Sports

Israel’s basketball powerhouse: Deni Avdija’s meteoric rise to NBA stardom

Deni Avdija has become the fulcrum of Portland’s offense and one of the most productive two-way forwards in the league.

|ByASHER SMITH
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS forward Deni Avdija (8) scores a basket during the first half against Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
Some of the Jewish and Israeli 2026 Winter Olympians, from left: Noa Szollos, Quinn Hughes, A.J. Edelman, Attila Mihály Kertész and Mariia Seniuk.

Jewish and Israeli athletes to watch in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Israel will send nine athletes to Milan for the 2026 Olympic Games, its second-largest delegation at its ninth Winter Olympics.

|ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA
The scene at Bloomfield Stadium was bedlam as Hapoel Tel Aviv players and fans celebrated together after the Reds earned their first derby victory over arch-rival Maccabi since 2014.

Curse is broken: Hapoel Tel Aviv’s night to remember after derby drought - comment

Over the course of these 30 contests that were sandwiched between wins, Maccabi won 25 times and drew five games as it scored 56 goals and conceded only 10.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV'S Will Rayman (11) has earned an increasingly important role with the club and he was instrumental in the yellow-and-blue's 75-71 Euroleague victory over Panathinaikos.

Everyone loves Rayman after Maccabi Tel Aviv's Euroleague triumph

Above all, the player who contributed to the win over the Greeks was Will Rayman, who perhaps made the most important and critical play, a play that wasn’t even with the ball.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN

Mexico to kick off 2026 World Cup against South Africa

South Africa are appearing for the first time since 2010, when they drew with Mexico in the opening match but failed to reach the knockout stage.

DECEMBER 5, 2025ByREUTERS
FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 Musicians Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger perform during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw

Manischewitz holding competition for its next matzah-box cover athlete

Manischewitz is holding a competition they are calling the quest for the “L’Cheisman” trophy, to find the next student athlete to feature on their matzah-box covers.

DECEMBER 4, 2025ByJOSEPH STRAUSS/JTA
The winners of the search for America's "best Jewish college athlete" will be announced in March 2026

The basics of sports betting: here's how to explore with safety and security in mind

DECEMBER 3, 2025ByHANNAH SCHWARTZ
Horse Racing.

Israel falls to 0-2 with costly Croatia basketball defeat

Beit Halachmi admits the Israeli national basketball team ‘hardly practiced’ in a frustrating start to World Cup qualifying.

DECEMBER 3, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
BAR TIMOR (center) and the Israel national team got off to a terrible start to World Cup qualifying, dropping its record to 0-2 with a 85-71 to Croatia.

Israeli NBA talent takes spotlight despite dual team losses

From Avdija’s triple-double heroics for Portland to the promise of Brooklyn rookies Wolf and Saraf, Israeli players continue to leave an unmistakable imprint on the NBA stage.

DECEMBER 2, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
ALTHOUGH BOTH their teams lost, Deni Avdija’s triple-double brilliance for the Portland Trail Blazers and Danny Wolf’s breakout shooting for the Brooklyn Nets highlight a banner weekend for Israeli and Jewish basketball.

Changing landscape of sports betting: regulation, digital innovation, and economic impact

NOVEMBER 30, 2025ByTAMI DEMSKY
Sports Betting.

Iran to boycott World Cup draw over US visa issues

"The Iranian delegation will not be present for the World Cup draw in relation to the latest status of issuing visas for the Iranian delegation", federation spokesman Amir Mehdi Alavi said.

NOVEMBER 28, 2025ByREUTERS
Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Group A - Iran v North Korea - Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran - June 10, 2025

Israel's national curling team delivers best-ever Deaflympics showing in Tokyo

Israel's curling team is fighting for a historic playoff spot at the European Championships. Despite losses, they feel they're "moving in the right direction" toward their goal.

NOVEMBER 27, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
THE ISRAELI delegation celebrated a historic performance at the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo, highlighted by the country’s first-ever silver medal.

Euroleague returns to Israel after vote, home games resume

Euroleague basketball is returning to Israel in December, with games set to resume at Menora Mivtachim Arena and Jerusalem’s Pais Arena.

NOVEMBER 27, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
WITH EUROLEAGUE basketball set to return to Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv gear up for home action once again.

Are mummies responsible for NJ Devils' string of injuries? Archaeologists, players weigh in

The strange tale of two mummies discovered beneath the Prudential Center collides with the Devils’ run of bad injury luck this season.

NOVEMBER 26, 2025ByRYAN NOVOZINSKY/NJ.COM/TNS
A cameraman films the only known example of a pregnant Egyptian mummy, displayed at an exhibition in National Museum in Warsaw, Poland May 4, 2021