Ryan Turell, a well-known Orthodox basketball player, has recently signed a contract to join Ironi Ness Ziona in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the top professional basketball league in the nation. This decision follows Turell’s groundbreaking experience as the first Orthodox Jewish player to compete in the NBA’s minor G league, where he played for the Motor City Cruise.
While with the Cruise, Turell may not have had significant playing time, but he succeeded in capturing the hearts of numerous Orthodox fans, particularly during his return to New York on Purim last year. Now, the talented player is preparing to fulfill another one of his lifelong aspirations – to compete in professional basketball in Israel.
“I am extremely excited and honoured to be a part of Ironi Ness Ziona and cannot wait to get started!” Turell expressed in a statement. “It has always been a dream of mine to play in Israel, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so with Ness Ziona. I am looking forward to meeting all of the fans; it is an incredible feeling.”
Over his two seasons with the Cruise, Turell participated in 54 games and demonstrated a promising performance, averaging 14.2 and 11.9 minutes per game respectively, with an overall 4.4 points per game and an impressive 3-point shooting percentage of .355. His time culminated in a remarkable 34-point, six-rebound game on March 23.
The 6-foot-7 forward is poised to join Ness Ziona, a team in the Israeli league that had a respectable season, reaching the playoffs and making it to the quarterfinals. The upcoming 2024-2025 season is set to begin in October.
Brad Turell, Ryan’s father, mentioned that the move to Israel does not necessarily mean that his son will not return to the G League or have a chance to achieve Ryan’s long-desired goal of playing in the NBA. According to Brad, his son is keeping all options open and remains committed to realizing his dream of becoming the first Orthodox Jew to reach the NBA.
This remarkable advancement in Turell’s career has certainly generated excitement among basketball enthusiasts, and fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming season to witness Turell’s performance in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.