Yovel Zoosman

Yovel Zoosman
יובל זוסמן
Zoosman with Alba Berlin in 2021
No. 50 – Hapoel Jerusalem
PositionShooting guard / small forward
LeagueIsraeli Premier League
Personal information
Born (1998-05-12) May 12, 1998 (age 28)
Kfar Saba, Israel
Listed height
2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Listed weight
90 kg (198 lb)
Career information
2019: undrafted
Playing career
2015–present
Career history
2015–2021Maccabi Tel Aviv
2016–2017→Maccabi Ra'anana
2021–2023Alba Berlin
2023–presentHapoel Jerusalem
Career highlights
Medals
Representing  Israel
Men's basketball
FIBA Europe Under-20
Silver medal – second place2017 GreeceUnder-20
Gold medal – first place2018 GermanyUnder-20

Yovel Zoosman (Hebrew: יוֹבֵל זוסמן; born May 12, 1998) is an Israeli professional basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Zoosman was named the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship MVP in 2018. He was named the 2020 and 2025 Israeli Basketball Premier League Defensive Player of the Year.

Early life and education

Yovel Zoosman was born in Kfar Saba, Israel, to a Jewish family. His grandmother Lila Zoosman (née Gestern) was born in Warsaw, Poland, and survived the Holocaust as a young girl. In 1943, she immigrated to Israel as part of the famous "Tehran Children" (Yaldei Tehran)—a group of Polish Jewish children who escaped Nazi-occupied Poland, hid in European monasteries and grew up in orphanages, and was eventually brought to Israel; her parents did not survive the Holocaust. He was raised in Netanya and played for Elitzur Netanya youth team.

He joined Wingate Institute and Maccabi Tel Aviv in his late teens. He was named Yovel because it is the Hebrew word for Jubilee, and he was born 50 years after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, hence why he wears the jersey number 50.

Professional career

Maccabi Tel Aviv

In 2015, Zoosman started his professional career with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, with whom at 17 years of age he played in 9 games in 2015-16. On October 18, 2015, Zoosman made his professional debut in an Israeli ISBL game, in an 85–70 win over Bnei Herzliya, recording two points off the bench.

Maccabi Ra'anana

Zoosman with Maccabi Ra'anana in 2017.

On August 24, 2016, Zoosman was loaned to Maccabi Ra'anana of the Liga Leumit, the second level league in Israel. In 28 games played with Ra'anana, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. Zoosman helped Ra'anana reach the Liga Leumit playoffs as the first seed, but they eventually were eliminated by Maccabi Hod HaSharon in the quarterfinals.

Return to Maccabi Tel Aviv

On July 27, 2017, Zoosman signed a four-year contract extension with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Zoosman helped Maccabi win the 2017 Israeli League Cup and the 2018 Israeli League Championship.

In 2017-18 for the team, he played 50 games and averaged 12.1 minutes, 3.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists, while shooting 45.0% from the floor, and 85.7% from the free throw line. On June 8, 2018, Zoosman was named the 2018 Israeli League Rising Star.

On January 11, 2019, Zoosman recorded a EuroLeague career-high of 15 points, shooting 6-of-6 from the field, to go along with six rebounds and two steals, in a 93–76 win over CSKA Moscow. On January 31, 2019, Zoosman was named the Israeli Player of the Month, for games played in January. Zoosman helped Maccabi win the 2019 Israeli League Championship, winning his second straight Israeli League title in the process. In 2018-19 for the team, he played 71 games and averaged 20.3 minutes, 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds,1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 45.5% from the floor.

On June 27, 2019, Zoosman joined the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2019 NBA Summer League. He played seven games, in which he averaged 17.0 minutes, 3.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.

In 2019-20 for Maccabi Tel Aviv, he played 50 games and averaged 12.1 minutes, 3.4 points,1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists, while shooting 45.0% from the floor, and 85.7% from the free throw line. He was named the 2020 Israeli Basketball Premier League Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2020-21 for Maccabi Tel Aviv, he played 37 games and averaged 17.1 minutes, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.8 steals, while shooting 45.0% from the floor, and 85.7% from the free throw line.

Alba Berlin

Zoosman with Alba Berlin in 2022

On August 6, 2021, he signed with Alba Berlin of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). In 2021 in the BBL, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game as he played 20.3 minutes per game.

In 2021-22 he played 72 games and averaged 20.8 minutes, 7.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.

In 2022-23 he played 56 games and averaged 20.9 minutes, 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 47.8% from the field, and 80.5% from the free throw line.

Hapoel Jerusalem

On July 9, 2023, he signed with Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. In 2023-24 he played 49 games and averaged 21.3 minutes, 2.2 points, 4.1 minutes, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

In 2024-25 he played 54 games and averaged 26.8 minutes, 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 40.4% from three point range.

In 2025-26 with the team he played 37 games and averaged 26.1 minutes, 7.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 42.6% from three point range.

National team career

Israeli junior national team

Zoosman was a member of the Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 Israeli national teams.

In the 2016 U18 Euro Championship A, he averaged 15.5 points (9th in the tournament), 8.8 rebounds (8th), and 3.8 steals per game.

In July 2017, Zoosman helped the Israeli Under-20 team reach the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Finals, where they eventually lost to Greece and ended up with a silver medal. Zoosman finished the tournament averaging 16.3 points (6th in the tournament), 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 steals (5th) per game.

In July 2018, Zoosman led the Israeli Under-20 team to a gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He finished the tournament averaging 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.3 steals (3rd in the tournament) per game. Zoosman was named the Tournament MVP and also earned a spot in the All-Tournament Team, alongside his teammate Deni Avdija.

Israeli senior national team

Zoosman is a member of the senior Israeli national team. On February 23, 2018, Zoosman made his first appearance for the senior team in a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification match against Great Britain.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance index rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2015–16 Maccabi Tel Aviv 102.7.000.000.000.0.0.0.0.0.0
2017–18 Maccabi Tel Aviv 1448.0.450.3641.000.8.6.3.11.81.9
2018–19 Maccabi Tel Aviv 30214.7.459.375.8462.01.2.7.23.03.7
2019–20 Maccabi Tel Aviv 231617.3.438.282.8402.71.71.0.15.45.7
2020–21

Maccabi Tel Aviv

11313.2.333.3891.0001.5.6.5.02.61.6
2021–22

Alba Berlin

311321.443.444.6943.01.2.8.17.06.9
2022–23

Alba Berlin

27521.6.445.324.8802.91.81.0.26.87.2
Career 1374317.1.498.368.7952.41.3.8.24.95.1

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2024–25

Hapoel Jerusalem

181627.1.441.368.7593.81.91.7.39.810.5
Career 181627.1.441.368.7593.81.91.7.39.810.5

References

  1. ↑ Yovel Zoosman Profile at Israeli Basketball Super League.
  2. ↑ Yovel Zoosman Profile at Euroleague Basketball.
  3. 1 2 אהרל'ה ויסברג (April 18, 2023). "הקשר המיוחד בין יובל זוסמן לסבתו: "אתה הניצחון שלי"" [The special connection between Yovel Zoosman and his grandmother: "You are my victory"]. וואלה! ספורט (in Hebrew). וואלה!.
  4. ↑ "יובל זוסמן בדרך לצמרת הכדורסל: "אם לא מאמינים, לא מגיעים לשום מקום"". mynetraanana.co.il (in Hebrew). July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  5. ↑ "OPEN MIKE: ראיון עם יובל זוסמן". Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Yovel Zoosman Player Profile, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem - RealGM". RealGM. RealGM, L.L.C.
  7. ↑ "Winner League, Game 2: Herzeliya Vs M. Tel-Aviv". basket.co.il. October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ "סיבוב פרסה: יובל זוסמן חתם ברעננה, רינסקי חוזר". leumitbasket (in Hebrew). August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Yovel Zoosman signs with Maccabi Tel Aviv". Sportando.basketball. July 27, 2017. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  10. ↑ "מצטייני עונת 2017/18 בליגת ווינר סל". basket.co.il (in Hebrew). June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  11. ↑ "CSKA Moscow vs. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv - Game". EuroLeague.net. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  12. ↑ "שחקן החודש הישראלי: יובל זוסמן". basket.co.il (in Hebrew). January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Cavs Announce 2019 Salt Lake City Summer League Roster". NBA.com. June 27, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Von Maccabi Tel Aviv Zu Alba: Dreijahresvertrag Für Yovel Zoosman". albaberlin.de (in German). August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Yovel Zoosman Player Profile, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
  16. ↑ "Hapoel Jerusalem extends Speedy Smith, signs Yovel Zoosman and Chris Johnson". Sportando. July 9, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Zoosman in the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship". fiba.com. July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Israel swingman Zoosman snatches up MVP honors". fiba.basketball. July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Zoosman in the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship". fiba.basketball. July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Israel v Great Britain boxscore - FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers". fiba.basketball. February 23, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.