The Jamie Moshe Straz Collection of Jewish Basketball Player Collectibles
Below you can find my "Master List" of Jewish Professional Basketball Players. For this list I used the following rules to compile: Must have played in a Professional Basketball League in the USA, must be Jewish (at least Mother's side or a Conversion as recognized by the State of Israel), and No Coaches/Managers. If there is an exception to those rules it will be noted by each player.
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For the years/teams shown for each player I only listed the ones that were applicable during their time as a player in the USA (so please be aware that they might have played/coached longer or for other teams).
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Please note I do not own any rights to the images below, they remain to the original holder. If any information is wrong please do let me know as this is an ever evolving list as I work on my research! (List is Current as of August 2024).
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Thank you!
Jamie Moshe Straz
Max "Marty" Friedman
1910-'27
Various
New York Whirlwinds
Has Cards
RC
Morris "Tubby" Raskin
1925-'26
ABL
Brooklyn Arcadians
Has Cards
RC
Moe Spahn
1932-'43
ABL
Brooklyn Visitations / Jersey Reds / New York Jewels / Wilmington Bombers (Notable Teams of the 17 Teams Played For)
Has Cards
RC
Hyman "Hymie" Ginsburg
1937-'39
NBL
Pittsburgh Pirates
Has Cards
RC
Eugene "Yaney" Rosenthal
1938-'39
NBL
Pittsburgh Pirates
Has Cards
RC
Bernard Opper
1939-'47
ABL
Detroit Eagles / Philadelphia Sphas / Jersey City Atoms
Has Cards
RC
✔
Ralph Kaplowitz
1939-'51
BAA
Jersey Reds / Philadelphia Sphas / New York Knicks / Philadelphia Warriors / Hartford Hurricanes / Bridgeport Roesslers
Has Cards
RC
Len Rader
1943-'50
NBL / BAA
Long Island Wonder Team / Philadelphia Sphas / Tri-Cities Blackhawks / Troy Celtics / Birmingham Skyhawks / Montgomery Rebels / Hammond Calumet Buccaneers / Hartford Hurricanes
Has Cards
RC
Howie Rader
1944-'50
NBL / BAA
Philadelphia Sphas / Tri-Cities Blackhawks / Atlanta Crackers / Baltimore Bullets / Hartford Hurricanes
Has Cards
RC
Marvin "Mickey" Rottner
1945-'48
NBL / BAA
Sheboygan Red Skins / Chicago Stags
Has Cards
RC
Art Spector
1946-'50
NBA
Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
✔
Nat Militzok
1946-'52
BAA / ABL
New York Knicks / Toronto Huskies / Scranton Miners / Saratoga Harlem Yankees
Has Cards
RC
Harry Boykoff
1947-'51
NBL / NBA
Toledo Jeeps / Waterloo Hawks / Boston Celtics / Tri-Cities Blackhawks
Has Cards
RC
Dolph Schayes
1948-'64
BAA / NBA
Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers
Has Cards
RC
✔
Boris Nachamkin
1954
NBA
Rochester Royals
Has Cards
RC
Lennie Rosenbluth
1957-'59
NBA
Philadelphia Warriors
Has Cards
RC
✔
Jeff Cohen
1961-'63
ABL / BAA
Hawaii Chiefs / Chicago Majors
Has Cards
RC
✔
Barry Kramer
1964-'70
NBA
San Francisco Warriors / New York Knicks / New York Nets
Has Cards
RC
Barry Leibowitz
1967-'68
ABA
Pittsburgh Pipers / New Jersey Americans / Oakland Oaks
Has Cards
RC
Dave Newmark
1968-'71
NBA / ABA
Chicago Bulls / Atlanta Hawks / Carolina Cougars
Has Cards
RC
✔
Earl Williams
1974-'79
NBA
Phoenix Suns / Detroit Pistons / New York Nets / Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
✔
Joel Kramer
1978-'83
NBA
Phoenix Suns
Has Cards
RC
✔
Doug Gottlieb
2000-'02
USBL
Oklahoma Storm
Has Cards
RC
✔
Jordan Farmar
2006-'16
NBA
Los Angeles Lakers / New Jersey Nets / Los Angeles Clippers / Memphis Grizzlies / Sacramento Kings
Has Cards
RC
✔
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Deni Avdija
2020-Present
NBA
Washington Wizards / Portland Trail Blazers
Has Cards
RC
✔
Barney Sedran
1911-'38
ABL
New York Whirlwinds / Cleveland Rosenblums (Notable Teams of the 23 Different Teams Played For)
Has Cards
RC
Sam Schoenfeld
1931-'39
ABL
5 Different Teams
Approximate Years
Has Cards
RC
Howard "Red" Rosan
1935-'45
ABL
Philadelphia Sphas / Hazleton Mountaineers / Allentown Barons / Baltimore Bullets
Has Cards
RC
Ed Kweller
1937-'39
NBL
Pittsburgh Pirates / Washington Heurichs
Has Cards
RC
Ben Goldfaden
1938-'47
ABL / BAA
Washington Brewers / Philadelphia Sphas / Wilmington Bombers / Trenton Tigers / Washington Capitols
Has Cards
RC
Leo Gottlieb
1939-'48
ABL / NBA
Philadelphia Sphas / New York Jewels / New York Americans / New York Gothams / New York Knicks
Has Cards
RC
Ossie Schectman
1941-'48
ABL / BAA
Philadelphia Sphas / New York Knicks / Paterson Crescents
"He is credited with having scored the first basket in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which would later become the National Basketball Association (NBA)."
Has Cards
RC
Sid Levine
1944-'45
NBL
Pittsburgh Raiders
Has Cards
RC
Irv Rothenberg
1944-'51
BAA / ABL
Philadelphia Sphas / New York Gothams / Cleveland Rebels / Washington Capitols / Baltimore Bullets / St. Louis Bombers / New York Knicks / Paterson Crescents
Has Cards
RC
William "Red" Holzman
1945-'54
NBL / NBA
Rochester Royals / Milwaukee Hawks
Has Cards
RC
✔
Sid Hertzberg
1946-'51
BAA / NBA
New York Knicks / Washington Capitols / Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
✔
Max "Slats" Zaslofsky
1946-'56
BAA / NBA
Chicago Stags / New York Knicks / Baltimore Bullets / Milwaukee Hawks / Fort Wayne Pistons / Trenton Capitols / Wilkes-Barre Barons
Has Cards
RC
✔
Herb Krautblatt
1948-'51
BAA
Baltimore Bullets / Trenton Tigers / Hartford Hurricanes / Paterson Crescents
Has Cards
RC
Norm Grekin
1953
NBA
Philadelphia Warriors
Has Cards
RC
Ed Wiener
1955
NBA
Philadelphia Warriors
Drafted 4th Round by Philadelphia Warriors, 3rd Pick (Didn't Play)
Has Cards
RC
✔
Rudy LaRusso
1959-'69
NBA
Minneapolis-Los Angeles Lakers / San Francisco Warriors
Has Cards
RC
✔
Jerry Greenspan
1963-'65
NBA
Philadelphia 76ers
Has Cards
RC
Ron Watts
1965-'67
NBA
Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
Larry Brown
1967-'72
ABA
New Orleans Buccaneers / Oakland Oaks / Washington Caps / Virginia Squires / Denver Rockets
Has Cards
RC
✔
Neal Walk
1969-'76
NBA
Phoenix Suns / New Orleans Jazz / New York Knicks
Has Cards
RC
✔
Aulcie Perry
1974-/76
ABA / CBA
Virginia Squires / Allentown Jets
Has Cards
RC
Danny Schayes
1981-'99
NBA
Utah Jazz / Denver Nuggets / Milwaukee Bucks / Los Angeles Lakers / Phoenix Suns / Miami Heat / Orlando Magic
Has Cards
RC
✔
Tamir Goodman
2002-'08
FIBA
Maccabi Tel Aviv / Giv'at Shmuel / Elitzur Kiryat Ata / Maccabi Shoham / Maryland Nighthawks / Maccabi Haifa
"Dubbed by Sports Illustrated magazine as the 'Jewish Jordan.'" Orthodox Basketball Player
Has Cards
RC
Omri Casspi
2009-'19
NBA
Sacramento Kings / Cleveland Cavaliers / Houston Rockets / New Orleans Pelicans / Minnesota Timberwolves / Golden State Warriors / Memphis Grizzlies
Has Cards
RC
✔
Ryan Turell
2022-Present
NBA G-League / Israeli Premier League
Detroit Motor City Cruise / Ironi Ness Ziona
First Orthodox Jewish Player Drafted (27th Pick 1st Round) Professionally and Playing (Went to Yeshiva University)
Has Cards
RC
Nat Holman
1922-'30
EBL / ABL
Original Celtics
Has Cards
RC
✔
Lou Bender
1932-'40
ABL
Original Celtics / Union City Reds / Boston Trojans / New York Whirlwinds
Has Cards
RC
Marty Reiter
1937-'39
NBL
Pittsburgh Pirates
Has Cards
RC
Herb Bonn
1937-'39
NBL
Pittsburgh Pirates
Has Cards
RC
Meyer "Mike" Bloom
1938-'49
ABL / BAA
Philadelphia Sphas / Washington Brewers / Baltimore Clippers / Trenton Tigers / Baltimore Bullets / Boston Celtics / Minneapolis Lakers / Chicago Stags
Has Cards
RC
Irv Torgoff
1939-'49
NBL / BAA
Detroit Eagles / Philadelphia Sphas / Washington Capitols / Baltimore Bullets / Philadelphia Warriors / Trenton Tigers
Has Cards
RC
Louis Herman "Red" Klotz
1942-'89
BAA / ABL
Philadelphia Sphas / Baltimore Bullets / Washington Generals
Has Cards
RC
Jack Garfinkel
1944-'49
NBL / BAA
Philadelphia Sphas / Rochester Royals / Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
✔
Hy Gotkin
1945-'47
ABL / BAA
New York Gothams / Elizabeth Braves
Has Cards
RC
Mel Hirsch
1946-'47
BAA / NBA
Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
Hank Rosenstein
1946-'52
BAA / ABL
New York Knicks / Providence Steamrollers / Scranton Miners
Has Cards
RC
Sid Tanenbaum
1947-'49
BAA
New York Knicks / Baltimore Bullets
Has Cards
RC
Les Harrison
1948-'55
NBL
Rochester Royals
Has Cards
RC
✔
Irv Bemoras
1953-'57
NBA
Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks
Bemoras can be seen on the 1957 Topps #7 Kenny Sears' card in front wearing Jersey #26
Has Cards
RC
✔
Larry Friend
1957-'58 / 1961-'62
NBA / ABL
New York Knicks / Los Angeles Jets
Has Cards
RC
✔
Al Seiden
1961-'62
EPBL
Pittsburgh Rens
Has Cards
RC
Art Heyman
1963-'70
NBA / EPBL / ABA
New York Knicks / Cincinnati Royals / Philadelphia 76ers / Wilmington Blue Bombers / Hartford Capitols / New Jersey Americans / Pittsburgh-Minnesota Pipers / Miami Floridians
Has Cards
RC
✔
Rick Weitzman
1967-'68
NBA
Boston Celtics
Has Cards
RC
Steve Chubin
1967-70'
ABA
Anaheim Amigos / Los Angeles Stars / Minnesota Pipers / Indiana Pacers / New York Nets / Pittsburgh Pipers
Has Cards
RC
Miki (Mickey) Berkovich
1971-'95
FIBA
Maccabi Tel Aviv / Maccabi Rishon LeZion / Hapoel Jerusalem / Hapoel Tel Aviv
"Considered to be one of the greatest Israeli basketball players of all time."
Has Cards
RC
✔
Ernie Grunfeld
1977-'86
NBA
Milwaukee Bucks / Kansas City Kings / New York Knicks
Has Cards
RC
✔
Doron Sheffer
1990-'14
NBA/Israel
Drafted 1996 Los Angeles Clippers but Played in Israel
Baal Teshuva
Has Cards
RC
✔
Amar'e Stoudemire
2002-'16
NBA
Phoenix Suns / New York Knicks / Dallas Mavericks / Miami Heat
Has Cards
RC
✔
Gal Mekel
2013-'14
NBA
Dallas Mavericks / New Orleans Pelicans
Has Cards
RC
✔
