Jasiel Rivero, first Cuban basketball player to play in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv

August 2, 2023

Cuban Forward-Center Jasiel Rivero signed a contract this Sunday with Maccabi Tel Aviv, becoming the first player signed by the Cuban Federation to play in Israel.

In this way, the player from the municipality of Boyeros in the capital guarantees his presence in the upcoming EuroLeague, the most important club competition in the world after the NBA.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is the most important club in Israeli basketball and has won the national title on 56 occasions.

It is also one of Europe's most important teams, having won 6 EuroLeague/European Cups and an Intercontinental Cup, achieved in 1980.

In the last EuroLeague they finished fifth in the qualifying stage and lost narrowly to Monaco in the Quarterfinals Playoff, falling short of reaching the Final Four.

"Papito" Rivero, as the stellar Cuban player is known, thus leaves the ranks of Valencia, a club from the prestigious Spanish League (Liga ENDESA, ACB), where he left impressive numbers of 11.7 points per game and 4.2 rebounds in EuroLeague.

The Cuban had won the affection of the "taronja" fans but was not called up for the last two Playoff matches against Barcelona, which caused a rift with Coach Alex Mumbrú.

«The Club wishes to thank the professionalism, dedication and work carried out by Rivero during the time he has defended the Valencia Basket jersey, and wishes him the best in his future, both professionally and personally,» the Spanish team stated in the note confirming the end of the link it maintained with the island's basketball player over the past two seasons.

The Spanish team presented a renewal offer that Rivero did not accept, but which would have allowed them to retain his rights in the event of a transfer to another ACB Endesa League club. That did not happen and Rivero has found his destination outside the Iberian nation.

In the past season the Cuban played a total of 50 matches with Valencia's jersey, with averages of 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 11.8 in rating. He had joined the club in the summer of 2021 from Hereda San Pablo Burgos and since then has played 105 matches, in which he posted an average of 10.8 points, 4 rebounds and 12.2 in rating credits.

"I am very happy and excited about this opportunity. We want to have many successes and good things in this great project. I am eager to be part of this family," the player stated in statements released by the Israeli club through its social networks.

With Mumbrú on the bench and new faces in the offices, the "Fonteta" team carried out an almost complete renewal of its roster, which we will see how it performs in the upcoming season.

At 29 years old and standing 2.06 meters tall, Jasiel can play as Forward-Center and Center and will have as teammates the stellar Lorenzo Brown, a prominent American, naturalized Spanish, and Wade Baldwin, who played for Baskonia.

At the renowned Israeli club he will reunite with James Webb III, his teammate at Valencia last season.

According to an Israeli newspaper, "Papito" Rivero signed for 600 thousand dollars for one season with an option for another.