In his eight years in the NBA, Omri Casspi has carved out a role as a solid player and veteran voice on what have mostly been either rebuilding or faltering squads. That career path changed for Casspi this summer as he signed with the defending-champion Warriors yesterday and is looking forward to his first-ever playoff games and more. Conner Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle has more:
Growing up in Yavne, Israel, only 25 miles north of the Gaza Strip, Omri Casspi idolized Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s largely for logistical reasons: They were the only NBA franchise consistently televised in the country.
Now, thanks to League Pass and NBA games being aired nightly, young Israelis can be more discerning about their favorite team. Still, the Warriors — with their cast of All-Stars and annual trips to the Finals — have a stranglehold on kids’ interest.
“A team like the Warriors is obviously well known all over the world,” said Casspi, who recently signed a one-year deal with Golden State for the veteran’s minimum of $2.1 million. “To be a part of this and be a part of this culture, it’s a blessing.”
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But beyond his dedication to his people, Casspi reportedly turned down a one-year, $4.5 million deal from a likely lottery-bound team for a chance to resuscitate his career and finally pile up wins. Most of his first seven NBA seasons were spent as a valued rotation player on losing teams. After posting 11.8 points per game for Sacramento on 48.1 percent shooting in 2015-16, he bounced around with three clubs last season.
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“I can’t wait for the season to start,” said Casspi, who was so eager to move past his disappointing 2016-17 that he took only one day off after the season before returning to the gym. “I have so much to prove, and a big chip on my shoulder to go in and do the stuff I can do to go help my team win. This is what I’m looking for.”
Because he has spent more than half of his NBA career with the Kings, Casspi is intimately familiar with Northern California. Most of his furniture and cars are still in storage roughly 80 miles northeast of Oakland.
Retrieving them will need to wait until September, when he’ll return to the Bay Area ahead of training camp. Casspi leaves Friday for Tel Aviv, where — starting Tuesday — he will focus on his national-team duties. It is an annual tradition for a player whose Israeli roots are foundational to his identity.
But this trip will be unique: For the first time, the country’s only NBA player will be in Israel as a member of its favorite team.
“The country was going crazy when I signed,” Casspi said. “The Warriors are like rock stars in a sense. People are really excited, and I’m really excited. I feel like it’s going to be a great fit.”
