By Morey Hershgordon
It’s very rare that professional basketball players are familiar with the country they play in during their rookie year. But that’s not the case for Evan Conti.
The former Quinnipiac University hybrid guard, who previously starred in the Maccabi games during two separate stints in Israel, will make his return to the Middle East. He signed to play for first-year Hapoel Be’er Sheva today.
It was undoubtedly his first choice.
“I one-hundred percent wanted to play in Israel,” Conti said. “I’m glad I was able to work something out.”
The journey to becoming a professional basketball player started back in 2009 when Brian Schiff, head coach of the USA basketball 16U Junior Division team, invited Conti to a try out for the upcoming Maccabi Games. The sixteen year-old couldn’t turn it down. By the end of the summer, Conti made the most of his opportunity with an unforgettable impression.
In the championship game, Conti lead USA to Gold scoring 35 points and was named Most Valuable Player. Shiff recalls the moment clear as day. He jokes around saying that coaches in Israel wanted Conti to call his mother asking for permission to forgo high school and college to become a pro.
Although he is one now, the road to success was far from smooth.
An injury-plagued high school and AAU career left Conti an afterthought for most Division I schools. The Bayside, New York native had yet to receive an offer even after the last game his senior year.
Finally, a few weeks later, the phone rang. His first offer: the University of Wyoming. His second: Quinnipiac University.
A family man, Conti chose Hamden, close to home.
While never reaching the ultimate goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament at Quinnipiac, he learned an important life skill he believes will make him a successful professional.
“Mental toughness,” Conti said. “We went through so much as a team in the four years I was there. No matter what the situation was whether it was on the court, off the court or in the middle of a game I feel like I’m prepared for any situation that will be thrown at me.”
During the summer of 2013, following his sophomore year at Quinnipiac, Conti returned to Israel as a member of the USA Open Division team and played under legendary Israeli coach Brad Greenberg.
As great as it was claiming a second Gold Medal, Conti knows that when he was looking to sign with a team, Greenberg’s name boosted his stock.
“Just the fact that I was able to put on my resume that I played for him for a month and that he was one of the most successful coaches in Israel was big. I had played very well under him and he speaks highly of me. That immediately made teams interested.”
Yet there is another twist to Conti’s story; this time, it’s something in his favor.
Conti is a citizen of both the United States and Israel.
International basketball teams are allowed a maximum of two or four American players per team depending on the league. And in the National League there must be at least two Israeli’s on the court at all times. Conti satisfies that requirement.
The 22 year-old is the first American-born to sign with Be’er Sheva, whose players are idolized by its small population just under 200,000 people. The fit seems perfect.
“I think playing in Israel before gives me more of an advantage then most rookies because I am already used to the style of play and won’t go through as much of a culture shock.”
Conti signed a one-year contract with a team option for an additional year. If Be’er Sheva moves up from the National League to the Winner League, he must stay with the them. If not, he is free to sign with any team.
Evan Paul Conti. August 6, 2015, officially a professional basketball player. Four years ago, the future seemed dark. But he wouldn’t change a thing.
“I was struggling to get Division I offers, but I stuck with it and let the process play out. At the end of the day, I worked hard for it and it worked out. I just can’t wait to start.”
