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08-14-2011, 11:34 AM
NBA players lining up to play in Israel Nobody seems to know when or if the NBA basketball season will begin, but benefactor of the lockout is Israel. Washington Wizards forward Trevor Booker and the New Jersey Nets' Jordan Farmar are the first NBA players to sign with an Israeli team in order to keep playing this year. Booker signed a one-year deal on Thursday with Israeli Basketball League team Bnei Hasharon that has an opt-out clause that will allow him to return to the Wizards whenever the lockout ends. The <a href="http://www.belstaffsjackets.co.uk"><strong>belstaff outlet</strong></a> Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld's son, Dan, played for Bnei Hasharon last season. According to the Washington Post, Booker has traveled overseas to Turkey and Serbia and said he was "definitely open" to playing in Israel. After speaking with his parents, Booker decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "I'm real excited," Booker said in a telephone interview on Thursday. "I get to play against some competition again. I think it will be a neat experience, so I'm definitely excited." Booker plans to leave for Israel next month and his business manager, Oliver Hill plans to tag along and assist Booker with getting acclimated to the new country. Miller said he doesn't expect Booker to have any problems in Israel. "I <a href="http://www.belstaffsjackets.co.uk/belstaff-jackets-mens-c-1.html"><strong>belstaff leather jacket</strong></a> think the transition will be very seamless for him. He's a very mature kid." Maccabi Tel Aviv also is benefiting from the NBA walkout by New Jersey Net guard Jordan Farmar to a contract for the duration of the work stoppage. The league's only American Jew, the 24-year-old Farmar is eligible to be listed as a naturalized Israeli outside the limited quota of foreign players each Israeli team is allowed. And even New York Knicks' star Amar’e Stoudemire was a possibility of for coming over to Israel. Last month he asked fans on Twitter if he should play in Israel during the NBA lockout, “Should I go to Israel and play for Maccabi Tel Aviv during the lockout?” he wrote. Later, the star, who visited Israel last year as a tourist and explored his Jewish roots, decided to remain at home. Maybe the walkout kills the NBA season, he'll reconsider. I'm <a href="http://megaoi.fb5.ru/displayimage.php?pos=-2"><strong>NBA players lining up to play in Israel | ISRAELITY</strong></a> sure a team here will open up their roster for him. Comments