D.J. Cooper wants to play for Israel / News - Basketnews.com

"I have started a naturalization process, I want to play for the Israeli national team," D.J. Cooper said.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Ironi Ness Ziona point guard D.J. Cooper expressed his interest in playing for the Israeli national team.

D.J. Cooper

Position:PGAge:32Height:183 cmBirth place:Chicago, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

"I have started a naturalization process, I want to play for the Israeli national team," he revealed in an interview with Tomer Givati of Israel Hayom.

Chicago-born Cooper, 32, is shining in the Israeli league, averaging 11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and an incredible number of 15.6 assists for 25.4 PIR over 16 domestic games this season. He dished out a season-high 20 dimes two times this campaign.

This is the second time Cooper tries his luck to represent a foreign country's national team.

He applied for Bosnian citizenship in 2014. Cooper was named a member of the Bosnian NT and was ready to play in the EuroBasket 2015 Qualifiers. However, he left Bosnia for a family emergency. After his return, the point guard suffered an injury during a training camp, and he was unable to help his team in the qualification tournament. Ultimately, his Bosnian citizenship was never processed, according to FIBA.

Cooper was also punished by FIBA in 2019. International Basketball Federation issued Cooper a two-year suspension for using another person's urine in an attempt to cheat a doping test. The test initially indicated an elevated level of gHC, a hormone that the placenta produces during pregnancy. That urine, according to the report, actually belonged to his girlfriend.

The next big task of the Israeli NT is the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in the summer of 2023. Israel has no chance to qualify for FIBA World Cup 2023, therefore the upcoming February window is just a mere formality.

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