ISR - 'Impossible situation' for Mekel

TEL AVIV (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The excitement in Israel following Gal Mekel's signing by the Dallas Mavericks has been replaced by frustration for fans and the coach of the national team.

Mekel, told by the Mavs that he stood a better chance of getting minutes as a rookie if he joined the team at the start of the preparations, has decided not to play at the EuroBasket this summer.

"I understood that in order to have a good rookie season I need to get to Dallas early and work according to the team’s program," said Mekel.

"I really love the national team, but I came to the conclusion that if I want to remain an NBA player for many years, then my rookie season is very important.

"I think that in the long run this will also benefit Israeli basketball. I'm only 25 and I've got 10 more years to play for Israel."

National team coach Arik Shivek believes Mekel had wanted to play, but that the NBA team had put him in an "impossible situation".

Speaking to the Israeli media, Shivek said: "Mekel told me that he was put in a room with (Dallas Mavericks) General Manager Donnie Nelson and all the coaches and they told him that as a rookie he would have a better chance of playing more minutes at the start of the season if he takes part in the preliminary training camp as well as the final camp.

"I was very surprised and so was Gal. Mekel then put Donnie Nelson on the phone, who I know from his time in Europe, and I told him what I thought of what they are doing to Gal.

"I think they are not being fair and are putting him in an impossible situation."

Mekel showed himself to be a terrific player in 2012-13 with Maccabi Haifa, the team that upset Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Final.

He averaged 14.3 points and 5.4 assists in 32.3 minutes per game during the season and in the title game, he poured in 21 points and dished out seven assists in 38 minutes.

While Omri Casspi, another national team player who has been in the NBA the past several years, would like to have Mekel with the national team in Slovenia for the EuroBasket, he also knows this is a very important season coming up for the 25-year-old.

Casspi said: "I spoke to Gal a few times in the past few days and I told him that as a rookie he needs to prove himself from the first moment.

"He must make the most of every opportunity he gets, definitely in his rookie season. My decision to skip the EuroBasket tournament in 2009 certainly helped me a lot and I think this will also help Gal. He needs to do what is best for Gal Mekel and the national team will benefit from it in the future."

Israel will play in Group A of the EuroBasket against France, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany and Ukraine.

The top six sides by the end of the tournament will qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

If Spain are in the first six, then the top seven teams will clinch places in next year's event.

FIBA