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Israeli basketball legend Mickey Berkowitz's severe dementia diagnosis revealed in documentary

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Mickey Berkowitz, widely considered Israel's greatest basketball player, is suffering from severe dementia, as revealed in a new documentary.
  • The documentary, "Mickey Berkowitz's Last Shot," details his family's struggle to cope with his condition, which they kept private for over two years.
  • Berkowitz had a storied career, leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to two European Cups and numerous domestic titles, and was a key player for the Israeli national team.

Mickey Berkowitz, celebrated as Israel's preeminent basketball player and one of its greatest athletes, is battling severe dementia, a fact officially disclosed in the Channel 12 documentary "Mickey Berkowitz's Last Shot."

The film, produced by Niv Raskin, reveals the private struggle of the Berkowitz family, who chose to keep his diagnosis secret for over two years, even as he was honored with the Israel Prize for Outstanding Sports Achievement. Berkowitz has been residing in a care facility for several months, and the documentary chronicles his family's efforts to manage his complex condition.

Berkowitz's illustrious career began at age 11 with Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth team. He joined the senior team at 17 and later led Israel's youth national team to a fourth-place finish in the European Championship. After a stint at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv, guiding them to their first European Cup title in 1977.

He further cemented his legacy by leading the Israeli national team to a silver medal at the 1979 European Championship, where he was named MVP. Despite an offer from the New Jersey Nets, he remained with Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning another European Cup in 1981 with a game-winning shot. Over 16 seasons with Maccabi, he secured two European Cups, 16 Israeli league championships, and 13 State Cups. He also represented Israel at the 1986 World Championship. After leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv, he played for Maccabi Rishon Lezion, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Hapoel Tel Aviv before retiring as the second-highest scorer in Israeli Premier Basketball League history.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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