Yarden Garzon eyes WNBA dream after signing with Spanish club

Yarden Garzon, a standout Israeli basketball player, is embarking on the next phase of her career in Spain with Euroleague powerhouse Zaragoza. This move follows her four-season stint in the NCAA, playing for Indiana and then Maryland.

Garzon, 22, was once projected to be the second Israeli to play in the WNBA. Although she went undrafted a few months ago, she later signed a rookie contract with the Phoenix Mercury. However, the team eventually decided not to keep her. "I expected things to go a little differently, but as the saying goes, we plan and God laughs," Garzon shared about her WNBA aspirations. "Now I’m about to begin my professional career."

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I expected things to go a little differently, but as the saying goes, we plan and God laughs. Now I’m about to begin my professional career.

Despite her time in the United States, Garzon expressed a deep longing for home. "Of course I miss home a lot and I’m someone who’s very, very close to my family," she said. She noted that her family visited annually and that she has built a strong support system in the U.S. that made her feel like family. Experiencing recent global events from afar was challenging, but she views it as part of her journey.

Garzon's athletic journey began in a sports-oriented family, with her father playing basketball and her mother playing volleyball. She spent her childhood playing various sports before focusing on basketball. "Basketball-wise, I don’t think I had one specific role model where I said, ‘I want to be like her when I grow up,’" she stated, indicating a self-driven approach to her sport.

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Of course I miss home a lot and I’m someone who’s very, very close to my family.