Noam Yaacov

Noam Yaacov (04‘ – 186cm / 6‘1“ – PG)

16.1 PTS, 4.4 REB, 7.6 ASS, 4 TO, 1 STL, 8.9 +/-, 4/23 3FG, 55.2% 2FG, 65.9% FT in 33.1 MIN

He was the linchpin of Israelis’ potent offense and led them all the way to the final. In addition to his 7.4 assists (tournament high) per game, he also had 4 turnovers, but still had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios (2.0 AST/TO) of the tournament. Yaacov also scored with clever finishes at the basket, using the ring often as a protector. Unfortunately, his notoriously inconsistent three-point shot still didn’t show any progress, but that didn’t hurt his offensive output, as he managed to finish efficient as a good pick-and-roll ball handler from mid-range, at the rim or set up his teammates with two-handed passes from clever angles. By far the best point guard with one of the most dominant performances of the whole tournament, scoring 31 PTS in the final, while having 5 assists and a field goal percentage of 68%. Surely one of the brightest point guard prospects of the 2004 generation to make a splash this upcoming season.

First of all, thank you for doing the interview. How are you doing since summer, what do you feel about how things are turning out for you so far?

This summer gave me a lot of confidence and boost to my game but there are still many things I need to improve. We’re off to a good start this season so far as a team and I believe the same about myself as well. So, all good so far.

How was your childhood like? What was your first interaction with sports?

May dad was a coach for many years. I’ve been playing basketball pretty much since the days I started walking. I was always in the gym with my father while he was coaching, I grew up with basketball. I fell in love with the game and every time I had a chance, I had the ball in my hands. I was living in Denmark, really close to Copenhagen. But Denmark is not a basketball country. It was different since there were not a lot of players for me to look up to and not a lot of teams existed either. That’s the main reason why I chose to move to Israel, I felt that it was going to be hard for me to become a basketball player if I stayed in Denmark.

At what point you knew you wanted to become a basketball player?

I always loved basketball and was playing all the time but when I made the decision to move to Israel when I was 13 years old and played for the national team, I decided to put all my effort into basketball and that was it. I knew I wanted to play basketball professionally and changed everything accordingly to achieve my goal.

Moving to another country as a 13 year-old kid is not so easy. How was the adaptation process for you when you moved to Israel?

At first, it was not easy since I moved to Israel without my family. I lived at my grandma and grandpa which was great but it’s different. It’s not the same with living with your parents and siblings. The first year was very hard for me, both basketball and daily life wise. I was still very young, but the club I was playing for Hapoel Emek Hefer gave me good guidance and really helped me to feel comfortable. I was there for 3 years, I was feeling more comfortable in my second year and in my last season, I really took off and had a great year. We won the league and I was named the player of the season. If you compare the competition level in Israel with the U18 European Championship or the game in France, it’s much more tactical. Obviously players lack athleticism and the game is less physical but the quality of the U18 league in there is really good and there are good players too.

You joined ASVEL in 2021 and went to France. This was the 3rd country you were going to live in before turning 18. Did you have other options, what are the positive and negative effects of changing where you live as a basketball player and a young person?

When I finished the season with Hapoel Emek Hefer, I had some other options in Israel and some teams overseas. When I got the chance to play for ASVEL, Tony Parker’s academy, I knew that’s what I wanted and this was the place for me. My agent told me about it and the second we could close the deal, we did it. It was an easy decision for me. I had the same feeling I got when I decided to leave Denmark. If I wanted to reach the next level, I needed a change to develop more and push myself to be better. For me, the positive effects of changing where I live are way more important than the negative, that’s why I’m doing it. I have great experience for a person and basketball player at my age. I have met so many interesting and great people, it is nice to know that I know somebody everywhere I go. Also, I know 3 and a half languages. I speak Danish, English, Hebrew and a little French. My French is not so good yet but I’m learning. Learning about different basketball cultures is a special opportunity as well. The game is played differently in France, Israel and Denmark. I think I take the good stuff from each place and build my game around my experiences and the cultures I’ve been into. This really helped me to become the player I am. The negative thing is being away from your parents and close friends, it’s hard. However, I think the positive outcome is worth it. The fact that I already moved at 13 alone without my parents, it made me more mature than most of the people around my age. I was 16 while I was living without any of my family members, I live alone now. It is a different experience.

In France, you’re playing with and against many NBA and EuroLeague prospects. What have you learned so far and discovered about yourself in France? Did you get used to the team and the basketball culture in the country?

It was different for me last year. In the Espoirs league, there are a lot of good athletes and big players. It took some time for me to get used to it. When I started practicing with the pro team, it helped me realize how I should play the game. In Israel, the talent level and physicality were not the same so I learnt how to navigate the plays, the right time to drive into the paint, pass or shoot the ball in France. I have the tactical knowledge from Israel, my body and athleticism are getting better every single day in France. I am settled in and I feel good living here.

This Summer, you were one of the best performers of the FIBA U18 European Championship in Turkey, getting selected to the All-Star 5 of the tournament. How was the championship experience for you, how do you evaluate your performance?

It was the first European Championship experience for me since we could not play in U16 due to Covid. It was a great experience as a whole. It’s really difficult to play 7 games in 9 days. I think I did a good job as a player and stayed consistent during the tournament which is not so easy. It was also a bittersweet experience because I believe we could’ve gone further than we did. We were up by 17 against Serbia at halftime but we could not manage to win the game. Personally, I think I had a good tournament and even though we could’ve done better, I am happy with my performance in the tournament overall.

Pini Gershon was also in Izmir as a part of the coaching staff. How important was his presence for the team?

Pini is a part of all the youth Israel National Teams and he goes to all of the tournaments. Throughout the summer, he was always in the gym, watching our practices. He is really involved and it’s great for us players to have him. He is a great coach, you can say he is a hall of fame coach.

What aspects of your game have you been focusing on more in your individual practices lately?

I’m working a lot on my shooting, trying to get my percentages higher especially behind the 3-point line. I am also trying to add floaters and midrange shots into my game. I am also working on decision making in pick and rolls, when to pull-up, kick-out and all the stuff that will make my game better. Shortly, I can say I’ve been practicing my shooting a lot. I work a lot in the weight room to get stronger and also for my lateral quickness. I’m working on everything but the main focus for me is to become a more consistent shooter.

We also see a lot of highlight plays showing your playmaker skills. You seem to enjoy passing the ball and dishing out impressive assists. Are you doing any sort of work about it or does it come naturally?

My passing style comes one hundred percent from my instincts. I don’t practice different passes that will look good on the floor. I grew up with basketball so I don’t think about it while I’m playing, it comes naturally. This season, I jumped and gave the ball between my legs and had an assist. I don’t know where it came from, I had never tried a pass like it in my life. I just like to try things, my coach is very open and he lets me make mistakes. This also gives me confidence to try new things, getting creative while dishing out assists is really fun.

In Villeurbanne, there are arguably two of the best French guards in the last decades around you: Tony Parker and Nando De Colo. What is your relationship with them?

Tony was one of the main reasons why I came to Villeurbanne, it is his academy, his team. He has always been one of the players that I’ve looked up to because I think I can watch him, take a lot of things he does and implement them in my game. We had a Zoom call before I joined the team. First time I came here with my parents, we had lunch together. He was in the academy yesterday, he comes sometimes and we chat a little bit. This year, practicing with pros and watching Nando up close is incredible. Maybe some of passing comes from him cause he is so creative and has great experience. When you are watching him, you can clearly see that he knows exactly what he is doing. He controls everything and I am just like a sponge, trying to soak everything in during the practices.

You spend most of your time with the U21 squad but you are also in the EuroLeague roster of ASVEL. I know you are a huge basketball fan besides playing. What do you think about the EuroLeague season so far? Which teams and players stood out?

Obviously, Fenerbahçe seems like a great team right now, they have great chemistry. I saw Scottie Wilbekin many years in Israel for Maccabi. Now, he kind of plays a little different since he has Nick Calathes with him. So, it’s easier for him to get open looks. He is also one of the players that I look up to, it is nice to see him play good. Markus Howard of Baskonia is a new EuroLeague player but he is doing crazy things, he is the newest player that I’ve been paying more attention while watching. EuroLeague is the best basketball environment for me, I try to watch all of the games because I enjoy it and knowing that I am a part of it makes it even more special.

Who are your favorite basketball players and role models?

Mentality and work ethic wise, it has to be Kobe Bryant, I’ve been a huge fan of Kobe since I was little. For scoring, Mike James is the player that I look up to. For playmaking and leadership, I watch and look up to Chris Paul. I try to watch a lot of players and take their best qualities.

What are your goals and dreams for the future?

Me and my team, we know we can go all the way so the goal for me is NBA Draft. It is a process, I take it day by day, step by step and keep improving. I am working hard to get closer to my goals.

Noam Yaacov (PG | 186 cm | ‘04) ~ Israel

19.3 pts, FG2-50.0%, FG3-39.3%, FT-65.1%, 6.0 reb, 6.0 ast, 1.7 st, 2.6 to, 0.0 blck

Noam was a little in the shadows of French prospects when playing for Asvel but here for the Israeli national team he had more opportunities and freedom to shine and he used it very well. He was one of the best point guards in the competition, easily beating the first line of defense and creating advantages. He showed good decision making when to shoot or pass the ball and was the leader the Israeli team needed. Filled all stat lines and was on the edge of a triple double in one match. There is a lot to like in Noam Yaacov and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.