Hapoel HaEmek has landed one of the more eye-catching guards on this summer's Ligat HaAl market, confirming a deal with C.J. Elleby after the American reportedly weighed a rival offer from Hapoel Jerusalem before committing to the Jezreel Valley club.
Elleby, 26, was the standout of last season's Hapoel Beer Sheva/Dimona side, leading the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game to go with 6.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists — numbers that put him among the league's most productive combo guards.
His path to Israel ran through the NBA. Portland picked him 46th overall in the 2020 draft out of Washington State, where he had been the Cougars' first draftee since Klay Thompson in 2011. After time on Portland's roster and in the G League, he moved to Europe, playing in Turkey's top flight for MKE Ankaragücü before joining Beer Sheva/Dimona last season.
At 1.98 metres and comfortable both creating shots and finishing at the rim, Elleby gives Hapoel HaEmek a scoring option who has already proven himself at the top of the Israeli table rather than as an unknown import.
The club he is joining carries a new name but familiar roots. Known for years as Hapoel Gilboa Galil, it rebranded as Hapoel HaEmek this summer after folding in Hapoel Afula's senior operation, and continues to represent the Gilboa region, the Jezreel Valley and Afula in the Ligat HaAl.
Elleby is the fourth import coach Sharon Avrahami has brought in for the coming season, joining Nigerian forward Christian Mekwelle, Malik Hall — arriving after a season with Hapoel Kiryat Ata — and Cameron Henry, who is staying on from last year's squad.
On the domestic side, Hapoel HaEmek has added guard JJ Kaplan from Maccabi Rishon LeZion while holding on to the core of last season's group: captain Roi Natia, Niv Meshgev, Lucas Goldenberg and Gil Noyovitz all remain.
With Elleby's arrival, the club has effectively finished restocking its foreign quota well before the Ligat HaAl season resumes, giving Avrahami a settled group to build around after the rebrand and the roster turnover that came with it.
