As a native of Kosovo, Zofi Abdia has a special fondness for leagues in the Balkans and ex-Yugoslavia.
He can watch for hours in games and summaries from those leagues.
Therefore, when the name of the anonymous Chinano Onuako came up in the summer in conversations of the people of Bnei Herzliya, Abdia got excited.
He remembered the chin for his excellence in Zadar's double in Croatia and his selection as the local league's outstanding player last season.
"He can very well suit us," the professional manager told chairman Eldad Akunis and coach Oren Aharoni.
Akunis contacted Pete Michael, the former Euroleague star and Onoako's agent and put an offer on the table.
Michael agreed relatively quickly, and now it remains to convince the actor himself.
For several weeks, Aharoni and Onoako were in direct contact, until the coach succeeded in the persuasion mission.
"It was an easy decision for me," Michael tells Israel Today.
"I have a lot of experience in Europe and I knew that if Chinano played in the league in Israel, he would advance in his career. Herzliya became a very professional club and the coach worked for Maccabi, so I knew they would be good."
Herzliya hit bingo.
Onoako (25) is the best domestic player in the league and one of the key factors in the team's success so far.
He leads the league in the index and rebounds, averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.
In ten league and cup games (out of 17) he finished with a double-double.
Onoako also holds the season-high record (19), but is not content with just that.
Not to be mistaken, despite his large body dimensions (2.06m), he is fast and mobile with 1.8 blocks (second in the league) and 1.8 steals (3).
Even outside the arc he must not be left alone, because he can score from there.
Ask Hapoel Holon who snatched from them in the semifinals.
Zofi Abdia.
Impressive Injury, Photo: Alan Schieber
Another significant advantage is his game vision.
The opposing defenses bring him double guards, and Onoako takes advantage of this with a good delivery ability to the available player (3 assists per game).
In fact he holds a set of abilities close to perfect for a player in his position.
Even with his weak point - committing unnecessary offenses (3.3 per game, 7 in the league) - Aharoni has recently learned to get along and maneuvers well his minutes on the field.
"Chinano is able to deliver and he does it great," his brother Arinza tells Israel Today, "We know that he previously played for Maccabi Tel Aviv for a few weeks and is currently a high school coach in Maryland and in NBA projects." He is a very athletic center The ball is good, it's an important commodity.
He has a high IQ and he also scores well.
His decision-making helps the team win. "
Onoako with the hallmark, Photo: Alan Schieber
In the shadow of the sparse market in Europe's domestic players, Onoako's excellent ability has attracted interest from several senior European teams - according to reports on the continent, one of which is in Asconia - who even called Herzliya and groped how much it would cost to release him in the middle of the contract.
Akunis flatly rejected all attempts.
"Then they will bring me money, but what will we do with it? Where is a player at such a level now?", The experienced chairman told the club people.
Pete, as one who has played at the highest levels of Europe, do you think he is suitable for the Euroleague?
"Obviously. Chinano is in the best shape of his life, and I think he is one of the smartest players in his position in Europe. Remember he has a Nigerian passport (his parents were born in Nigeria, YM) and he can play in Spain, Italy and France because he can register not as an American And he is also in a position where everyone is looking for players. "Arinza adds:" I think he can be dominant in the Euroleague. "
Onoako's career is progressing gradually.
After two years at Louisville College with the great Rick Pitino he signed up for the draft and was selected in the second round in 37th place.
Pitino is the one who "invented" the "grandmother's shot" from the penalty line for the young chin.
The coach, who over the years has taken out hundreds of players, realized that this is the best way to help our players score from the line.
For three seasons he played in the G-League in an attempt to secure a contract with the NBA, but was forced to settle for seven games for the Houston Rockets.
"James Harden did not tell me either," he told his friends in the locker room in the Jubilee Hall with a smile.
In the summer of 2019 he started his career overseas in the league in South Korea and last season landed in Zadar.
"I'll tell you a funny story," Michael tries to answer when I ask him why so far Onoako has played in relatively small teams.
"In my first year in Spain - the best league in Europe - I was the king of the baskets in the league, but the following year I moved to Korea and was selected as the outstanding player and also the king of the baskets. in the moment".
"There are many good leagues in the world that can pay more money than the Euroleague and the player has to decide how he builds his career, what is more important, money or a career. This year we made a decision that his career in Europe is more important than money. I'm glad he came to Israel. There are those who want to play in the NBA today, but there are steps to be taken to get there. "The team success will help him too. The first thing he asked me when we received the offer in the summer was if Herzliya would win games this season, and I told him for sure, they are building a good team. That is one of the things that convinced him."
Onoako is a quiet man who rarely talks to those around him.
His main hobby is music, and every spare moment is used to listen to his favorite songs.
His fiancée Mona is now pregnant with their first child and is due to give birth in the very next few weeks.
In Herzliya, they hope to beat Hapoel Tel Aviv and allow Onoako to travel to the United States with a smile.
On the field it is a working animal.
Oren Aharoni conducts permission training several times a week, in which mainly the young players who do not receive significant playing minutes participate.
Onoako makes sure to get to at least some of those workouts and works with the youngsters.
One of the things that is emphasized is the improvement in the percentage of "grandmother's throw" from the penalty line, which has become its hallmark.
In the league his averages this season stand at 61.6%, slightly more than his percentage last season in Croatia, but in money time his accuracy is miraculously rising.
In the semi-final against Holon he scored 8 of 10 and also in the cup final last season in Croatia he is accurate in 2 of 2.
Herzliya knows that tonight a good play by the chin will put them in a great position to win a first degree since 1995.
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