JJ Kaplan (born May 28, 1997; ג'יי ג'יי קפלן) is an American-Israeli[1] basketball player who plays guard for Ironi Kiryat Ata in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for the Chargers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
| No. 25 – Ironi Kiryat Ata | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| League | Israeli Basketball Premier League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Huntsville, Alabama, United States |
| Nationality | American-Israeli |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Virgil I. Grissom High School (Huntsville, Alabama) |
| College | University of Alabama in Huntsville |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–present | Ironi Kiryat Ata |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early life and high school
editKaplan was born and grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, is Jewish, and had a bar mitzvah and keeps kosher.[2][1][3][4] He is 6'5" (196 cm) tall, and weighs 210 pounds (95 kg).[5]
He attended Virgil I. Grissom High School ('17) in Huntsville, Alabama.[5] Playing basketball for the Tigers in his junior season, Kaplan was named to the all-area team and the all-area tournament team.[6][3] In his senior season, he averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists per game, was named to the all-area and all-state teams, and was named to the all-area tournament team.[3] As a teenager, he also played in Maccabi Games in Germany with Team USA.[2][7]
College
editKaplan attended and played basketball for the Chargers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville ('21), as he double-majored in Economics and Finance.[8][9] In 2017–18, he averaged 3.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.[3]
In 2018–19, Kaplan averaged 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds (2nd in the Gulf South Conference (GSC)) per game, and was 2nd in the conference in field goal percentage (52.8%), and was 21st in the nation with 281 rebounds.[3][4] He was named Jewish Sports Review All-American, Second Team All-Gulf South Conference, Gulf South All-Tournament Team, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District, GSC All-Academic Team, and GSC Academic Honor Roll.[3][8][6]
In 2019–20, he averaged 11.6 points and 9.1 rebounds (2nd in the GSC) per game, and led the GSC and was 21st in the nation in total rebounds (282).[3] Kaplan was named Jewish Sports Review All-American, Second Team All-Gulf South Conference, GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, GSC All-Tournament Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District, and GSC Academic Honor Roll.[3][6]
In 2020–21, despite a shin injury, Kaplan averaged 11.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.[3][4] He was named First Team All-Gulf South Conference in 2021.[8] Career-wise, he had the fourth-most rebounds and ninth-most rebounds-per-game in school history.[10]
Professional career
editOn June 27, 2021, after living his entire life in Huntsville, Kaplan signed with Ironi Kiryat Ata.[7][5][11] He said: "It has been a dream of mine to play basketball in Israel since I was in high school, and now I am happy to announce that the dream has come true."[10] That season, he and the team won a National League championship.[11]
On November 19, 2022, Kaplan again signed with Ironi Kiryat Ata, in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "JJ Kaplan basketball profile," Eurobasket.
- ^ a b משה ברדה (June 6, 2021). "ג'יי ג'יי קפלן: זו תהיה זכות לשחק בנבחרת ישראל". ONE – מספר אחת בספורט.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "JJ Kaplan – 2020–21 Men's Basketball Roster". UAH Athletics.
- ^ a b c Weinberg, Becca (March 23, 2021). "Hometown Player JJ Kaplan Finds Basketball Success and Judaism in Huntsville". Sports Rabbi.
- ^ a b c "Kaplan starts his pro career at E. Kiryat Ata". Eurobasket News. June 27, 2021.
- ^ a b c Olivia Whitmire (June 28, 2021). "Former UAH basketball standout JJ Kaplan signs to play overseas in Israel". WHNT News 19.
- ^ a b Cohan, Max (July 15, 2021). "International ballers: UAH's JJ Kaplan and Sam Orf sign pro deals overseas". WAAY 31 News.
- ^ a b c d "J.J. Kaplan Player Profile, Alabama-Huntsville; GF #25". RealGM.
- ^ "Student Spotlight – JJ Kaplan," UAH, November 13, 2019.
- ^ a b Cohan, Max (June 27, 2021). "JJ Kaplan signs with Israeli basketball team". WAAY 31 News.
- ^ a b Olivia Whitmire (June 3, 2022). "Former UAH standout JJ Kaplan returns from Israel as a champion". WHNT News 19.