For 90 days get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 54 brings...
Gal Mekel (PG, Dallas Mavericks), Israel
Height: 1.91m, 6-foot-3 | Weight: 87kg, 191 pounds | Born: 4 March, 1988
As a 25-year-old rookie, Gal Mekel's basketball career has had ups and downs.
In a 2013 Draft class that didn't receive much hype, the Mavericks looked for a more creative option to add to their roster in the off-season – leading to the signing of Israel's Mekel.
His ability to score on his own and facilitate, which led him to two Israeli Super League MVP's and two Israeli Super League Championships, also showed in Dallas - contributing 2.4 points and 2.0 assists in 9.4 minutes. However, things went sour on 17 January as Mekel had a right knee injury that ended his season after only 31 games.
Although pain free and ready to go, Mekel enters 2014-15 with a different challenge. The Mavs are stacked with veteran point guards: Raymond Felton, Devon Harris, and Jameer Nelson.
As a sophomore in the upcoming season, Mekel will have to wait his turn, but will look to maximize the ups.
Achievements/Awards:
- 2x Israeli Super League MVP (2011, 2013)
- 2x Israeli Super League Champion (2010, 2013)
- Israeli Super League Rising Star (2009)
Key Stats:
2013-14 Season: GP: 31 | MPG: 9.4 | PTS: 2.4| AST: 2.0
Season Highlight: He scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds in 23 minutes against the Rockets on 1 November.
Five Things To Know
1. He became the second Israeli to join the NBA, the first being Omri Casspi.
2. He earned MVP honors twice in the Israeli Super League in 2011 and 2013.
3. He has four brothers and two sisters.
4. He played for Wichita State University from 2006-2008.
5. He speaks English and Hebrew, and is Jewish.
Check out Mekel's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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