The conclusion of the Landesberg story

[JasonEvans]

He ends up not making the NBA, but signing a contract to play with Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli League. Haifa is the same team that signed teenager Jeremy Tyler a year ago, though that did not work out well at all.

--Jason "not sure he ever would have made the NBA, but this is hardly what he expected when he left UVA early" Evans

[JasonEvans]

A little added info.

I was wondering what Landesberg might make playing for an Israeli-league team. I was doing some digging and found a story from a couple days ago that mentioned that Stephon Marbury had turned down a $200,000 offer from an Israeli team because Marbury wanted to stay in China and promote his shoe line to the large market there.

Anyway, if they are playing an established pro with long NBA roots and success like Marbury $200,000, I have to think that Landesberg is looking at maybe $125 or $150k per season... at the most. True, this is better money than most UVA dropouts are going to make from day one, but it is a far cry from what most kids hope to make when they leave college early to reach their NBA dreams.

-Jason "I believe that if move up in the European leagues -- to teams in Germany, Russia, and especially Italy and Spain -- you can make $500k+" Evans

[Bluedog]

I have to think that Landesberg is looking at maybe $125 or $150k per season... at the most. True, this is better money than most UVA dropouts are going to make from day one

Better than most UVa dropouts? I'd say better than 99% of UVa first-year grads and 99+% of dropouts. Of course, money isn't everything and I agree with everything else you said. Adjusting to life in Israel will take a while, especially for a 20-year-old. It's certainly not like he can live the glamourous lifestyle of a first round draft pick in the NBA. On another note, I had no idea Landesberg was Jewish; I should have been able to figure that out from his last name, I suppose, but still somewhat surprised. I guess the Israeli league says you are considered Jewish if either parent is...the orthodox version says your mother must be Jewish since that's the only one you know for sure (obviously, that was written before the days of DNA testing).

[SilkyJ]

-Jason "I believe that if move up in the European leagues -- to teams in Germany, Russia, and especially Italy and Spain -- you can make $500k+" Evans

Here's how much the top players in Europe make (and Landesburg obviously does not fall into that category, so no idea if 500k is right for a player like him or not...seems reasonable though).

Langdon checks in at #37 with a cool $1.6mm. And let's not forget that I believe these contracts are NET of taxes.

[tbyers11]

A little added info.

I was wondering what Landesberg might make playing for an Israeli-league team. I was doing some digging and found a story from a couple days ago that mentioned that Stephon Marbury had turned down a $200,000 offer from an Israeli team because Marbury wanted to stay in China and promote his shoe line to the large market there.

Anyway, if they are playing an established pro with long NBA roots and success like Marbury $200,000, I have to think that Landesberg is looking at maybe $125 or $150k per season... at the most. True, this is better money than most UVA dropouts are going to make from day one, but it is a far cry from what most kids hope to make when they leave college early to reach their NBA dreams.

-Jason "I believe that if move up in the European leagues -- to teams in Germany, Russia, and especially Italy and Spain -- you can make $500k+" Evans

Jeremy Tyler got a one year, $140,000 contract last year. I am guessing that Landesberg gets at least that much. Your $150,000 estimate seems about right to me.

[tbyers11]

Here's how much the top players in Europe make (and Landesburg obviously does not fall into that category, so no idea if 500k is right for a player like him or not...seems reasonable though).

Langdon checks in at #37 with a cool $1.6mm. And let's not forget that I believe these contracts are NET of taxes.

I think those figures are also in Euros. That list is for the 2008-2009 season, but with the current exchange rate 1.6 million Euros = 2.08 million dollars. If the contracts are NET of taxes, Trajan would have to be paid over $3 million here in the US to have as much take home pay. He seems to be doing alright for himself

[JasonEvans]

On another note, I had no idea Landesberg was Jewish; I should have been able to figure that out from his last name, I suppose, but still somewhat surprised. I guess the Israeli league says you are considered Jewish if either parent is...the orthodox version says your mother must be Jewish since that's the only one you know for sure (obviously, that was written before the days of DNA testing).

What makes you think he is Jewish? You don't have to be Jewish to play in the Israeli league. One of Landesberg's teammates on Maccabi Haifa will be Mamadou N'Diaye, who played at Auburn and was a first round NBA draft pick in the early 2000s. He is almost certainly not Jewish.

--Jason "Will Avery played in the Israeli league for several years after he left the NBA, I think" Evans

[flyingdutchdevil]

What makes you think he is Jewish? You don't have to be Jewish to play in the Israeli league. One of Landesberg's teammates on Maccabi Haifa will be Mamadou N'Diaye, who played at Auburn and was a first round NBA draft pick in the early 2000s. He is almost certainly not Jewish.

--Jason "Will Avery played in the Israeli league for several years after he left the NBA, I think" Evans

Maybe because Bulldog did his research: http://dimemag.com/2010/07/israel-ha...en-landesberg/

[Bluedog]

What makes you think he is Jewish? You don't have to be Jewish to play in the Israeli league. One of Landesberg's teammates on Maccabi Haifa will be Mamadou N'Diaye, who played at Auburn and was a first round NBA draft pick in the early 2000s. He is almost certainly not Jewish.

--Jason "Will Avery played in the Israeli league for several years after he left the NBA, I think" Evans

Maybe because Bulldog did his research: http://dimemag.com/2010/07/israel-ha...en-landesberg/

Yep, what flyingdutchdevil said. He are some more links substantiating that he's Jewish.

http://www.jewishsportsreview.com/200910basketball.htm 2009-2010 Jewish Sports Review Men’s College Basketball All-America Team

And here's it straight from his mouth:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...desberg/1.html

My father's side is Jewish

(his mom is from Trinidad)

I realize you don't have to be Jewish to play in the Israeli league, but I think teams are encouraged to sign Jews for some reason...right? Or there are certain numerical restrictions. I guess it has to do with being Israeli citizens and if you're Jewish you can get a passport pretty easily.

[JasonEvans]

Maybe because Bulldog did his research: http://dimemag.com/2010/07/israel-ha...en-landesberg/

Niiice. I had no idea. The great thing for Maccabi Haifa is that because Landesberg is Jewish, he is considered a citizen of Israel. As a result, I am fairly sure he does not count against the cap on American players. I think there is still a rule in place that European teams are only allowed to have 2 Americans on their roster at one time.

--Jason "now that I think about it, Sylvan Landesberg sounds like an old Jewish man living in a home in Miami" Evans

[arydolphin]

Jason, don't slam a player for going to the Israeli League. A certain #30 from this year's national championship team will probably end up there if he doesn't get signed full time by the Miami Heat. Link: http://thehoopsmarket.blogspot.com/2...th-jamont.html

[CEF1959]

It's discrimination by citizenship, not by religion, and it's a pretty standard practice for European and other foreign leagues.

Both Landesberg and Scheyer are American citizens, not Israeli citizens. Does their being Jewish get them a special pass into the league that non-Jews don't get? Which goes back to my original question: Is there any other league that discriminates on the basis of religion?

[-jk]

Both Landesberg and Scheyer are American citizens, not Israeli citizens. Does their being Jewish gets them a special pass? Which goes back to my original question: Is there any other league that discriminates on the basis of religion?

Let's not make this a public policy discussion.

-jk

[-jk]

Jason, don't slam a player for going to the Israeli League. A certain #30 from this year's national championship team will probably end up there if he doesn't get signed full time by the Miami Heat. Link: http://thehoopsmarket.blogspot.com/2...th-jamont.html

I think he's slamming for dropping out of school and not getting a whiff of the nba.

-jk

[sagegrouse]

Bona fide Jews can easily qualify for Israeli citizenship without having to renounce their prior country. Besides, these are the rules of Israel and the Israeli basketball league, not the US, the UN, or the EU. Seems to me that these loopholes decrease the discrimination against Americans in overseas leagues, not increase it.

sagegrouse

[FireOgilvie]

Both Landesberg and Scheyer are American citizens, not Israeli citizens. Does their being Jewish get them a special pass into the league that non-Jews don't get? Which goes back to my original question: Is there any other league that discriminates on the basis of religion?

Because they are Jewish, I believe they are Israeli citizens under the "Law of Return" or something like it. So technically, it's based on nationality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Return

Edit: I see that pfrduke posted this as well when I as writing this up.

Several leagues in many sports in Asia have quotas about the number of players from the "home country" of the league. The whole point is to keep and develop the country's talent, while also keeping interest from the local fans. Scheyer and Landesberg could both probably play for Israel if they wanted to (although they might have to give up US citizenship, I'm not sure about that).

[pfrduke]

Because they are Jewish, I believe they are Israeli citizens under the "Law of Return" or something like it. So technically, it's based on nationality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Return

Edit: I see that pfrduke posted this as well when I as writing this up.

Several leagues in many sports in Asia have quotas about the number of players from the "home country" of the league. The whole point is to keep and develop the country's talent, while also keeping interest from the local fans. Scheyer and Landesberg could both probably play for Israel if they wanted to (although they might have to give up US citizenship, I'm not sure about that).

The US, while not encouraging double citizenship, is very permissive of it and does not require you to relinquish US citizenship should you also obtain foreign citizenship. Only if you intend to renounce your US citizenship will you lose it by acquiring citizenship of another country. Of course, in some cases, the other country's rules may require you to renounce citizenship, but I do not believe Israel has such rules.

[cato]

The US, while not encouraging double citizenship, is very permissive of it and does not require you to relinquish US citizenship should you also obtain foreign citizenship. Only if you intend to renounce your US citizenship will you lose it by acquiring citizenship of another country. Of course, in some cases, the other country's rules may require you to renounce citizenship, but I do not believe Israel has such rules.

Quite true. Of the top of my head, I can think of friends, all born and raised in the US, who have dual citizenship with, respectively, Israel, Mexico and Ireland.

[Merlindevildog91]

Not to get too far afield, but isn't Nick Horvath considered a Kiwi in New Zealand because he married a local?

[Duvall]

Not to get too far afield, but isn't Nick Horvath considered a Kiwi in New Zealand because he married a local?

He is a naturalized citizen of New Zealand, and played for their national team in 2008.