Today (Sunday), the Efrat Local Council held a special event, one that residents of the area are not used to: former NBA stars came to visit the local basketball hall for a conversation, an introduction to the activities of the Elitzur Efrat-Gush Etzion basketball club and joint training sessions with the players.
NBA Stars Visit Efrat | Doron Golan
These are former players Theo Ratliff (16 seasons in the league, the most prominent defenders and blockers in the early 2000s), Dale Ellis (17 seasons in the league, the leading three-point shooters in the 80s), Cedric Toney (8 seasons in the league), and together with them the Israeli-American former player Tamir Goodman, who came to delight and give the local players a one-time experience.
Theo Ratliff taught the attendees a lesson in perseverance and said, "In eighth grade, I was kicked out of the group. I kept practicing and went back to her. In ninth grade, I was eliminated again. I trained even harder to come back. Then at the end of high school I was informed that I had been accepted for a college scholarship and from there the road to an NBA career was paved. That's my message – persevere, believe, invest and go far."
An experience for all present, photo: David Taboul
NBA players visiting Efrat, photo: David Taboul
Dale Ellis also shared: "The most important thing is to go with your love. I played all kinds of sports, but I didn't like anything like basketball, so I invested in it and became a professional player. I urge you to follow your truth to the end."
The visit took place in cooperation with Athletes for Israel and Project Max, which work to promote Israel's image in the world and combat antisemitism and racism through sports.
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