Eitan Burg is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new names on the Israel National Team as they ready for the upcoming European Championship qualifying window that begins on Friday night against Portugal in Riga, Latvia. The 22-year-old guard (1.91 meters) plays his club ball with Bnei Herzliya and has shown a season-by-season improvement, was selected for the senior team not by grace but by merit.

The only Israeli player that can not be called up for the qualifying windows is Deni Avdija due to the fact that he plays in the NBA and Burg was selected to the 14-player initial roster last week before Tamir Blatt, Yam Madar, Tomer Ginat, Khadeen Carrington and Yuval Zoosman were released from the squad due to injuries. With Burg on the cusp of making his blue-and-white debut, the guard sat down with The Sports Rabbi at the new Hadar Yosef and opened up about absolutely everything from, hoops, dreams and beyond.

“I’m very excited and I am not taking it for granted at all to be here,” Burg began as he continuously spoke of being called up with reverence throughout the conversation. “Without a doubt, this is the most exciting moment I’ve had in my career so far, to represent the country, especially in a time like this with such great teammates. It’s a privilege and it’s fun to be here for the first time.”

Burg immediately turned to the moment that he found out about being called up to the national team camp. “After a morning practice with Herzliya I suddenly received phone calls from six or seven people at the same time. The first was from my partner, so I answered that one right away and she told me that the roster had been published on the Israel Basketball Association’s website and on their Instagram account and that my name was there. It was one of the best feelings that I had felt in a long time, especially after we lost in the State Cup semifinals. It’s something that really helped me personally and lifted by spirits up. In no way am I taking this for granted, I appreciate the privilege of being here.”

Also on the national team, is Burg’s former Elitzur Netanya teammate Ben Saraf who starred together in a magical 2022/23 season. Saraf is currently one of the stars for Ulm in the German basketball League and will enter the NBA Draft that will take place in June. Burg was named as the Israeli Player of the Season in that year in the Leumit League while Saraf was chosen as the league’s 6th Man.

As soon as Saraf stepped onto the Hadar Yosef court, he and Burg were very excited to see each other and hugged for a long time. Burg couldn’t believe that in less than two years since they played together in the second league, they would be playing together on the senior national team.

“No way I would have imagined this as being possible so quickly,” Burg admitted. “Perhaps for Ben things happened a little more naturally as it’s not every day you see a kid like him that is so talented, he’s truly one in a generation. In my case, I didn’t think it was possible at this point in time, but everything aligned properly with a lot of work, modesty and humility. I’m happy for this opportunity and the opportunity to play again with Ben. It’s special, very special.”

Like Burg, Gur Lavi and Guy Palatin, who themselves grew up and developed in the Leumi League were also called up to the national team for the first time. “It’s fun to be a part of this and see that players I played against in the second division are also making this leap. Israeli basketball is in the hands of good guys who want to work, are humble and hungry, want to learn and it’s great to see that. I’m happy for everyone who has the opportunity to be here and represent the country during a time like this. It’s amazing and a blessing.”

There are many senior players who are absent in this window and that is a fact that can’t be ignored. With that, it’s expected that Burg will have a more significant place in the rotation, but there is no doubt that he would like to collaborate with players of the caliber of Tamir Blatt and Yam Madar, with the latter even growing up in Beit Dagan like him and being considered his role model.

“First of all, I really like both of them, they are both my friends and everyone has their own reasons for not being here in this window,” Burg said. “At the end of the day, I can only focus on myself and ensure that every minute I am on the court will be the minute in which I play the hardest I have played so far. They are both very committed to the team and they are both very good friends of mine, I wish them nothing but the best and that they recover and get well soon.”

Another player not taking part in the window is naturalized Israeli Khadeen Carrington who was also at Hadar Yosef in order to be examined by the national team after suffering ahead injury in the State Cup final with Hapoel Jerusalem against eventual winners Maccabi Tel Aviv. Carrington sat on the bench and exchanged experiences with Burg, who recently facedone another in the semifinals of the tournament.

“We got to talk a little bit about the State Cup semi-finals,” Burg explained. “I went to the line during the last seconds of the game and before I took my first shot he said to me, ‘You ain’t got 2’. I looked at him, smiled and scored the first, I missed the second and from there the rest was history. We chatted a little, exchanged some thoughts and I asked him how he was feeling and how his head was. He’s a very nice guy and it was great to meet him in this type of setting.”

Burg will be playing under Ariel Beit Halachmi and is excited about the opportunity, “Very much so. The truth is, most of the players I played with have played for him at one point or another, I never did so I’m very excited about it and I’ve only heard good things. I’m someone who really likes to learn and work and I really respect Ariel and the things he’s done here in recent years. I’m looking forward to it.”

The team has already secured its place in this summer’s Eurobasket and the current window is mainly an opportunity for several players to prove themselves in the hope of reaching the final roster which is something that is driving Burg.

“It’s a dream of mine but I don’t want to make a statement or anything. Again, with a lot of modesty and humility, I am very grateful for the opportunity that I’ve received right now. I will do my best in this window and if they call me up or need me, I will be there. I have nothing left to do but to work hard, be modest and hope.”

As mentioned earlier, Burg played with Herzliya in the State Cup semifinals against Jerusalem last week and unfortunately for the guard and his team they fell in dramatic fashion, 89-86. Burg scored 10 points coming off of the bench missed from the line and then also came up short on his corner off balanced 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“Anyone who watched on TV or was at the game could see that I reacted a little emotionally,” Burg recalled. “It was very important to me, as a second-year player at Bnei Herezliya to bring this title to the city, I know how important it was. From the fans to the staff at the club, all the players felt it and since the team won the Cup three years ago we really wanted it and believed in it too. I am very young, but if there is anything I have learned, it is that in these games, knockout games, it’s the little things that will decide it. Another rebound, another pass to an open player or someone who is hot, but again it’s just a matter of experience, I am learning and just at the beginning of my career. I have only just begun and I want to believe that I will be in more situations like this and in the future I will try to make sure that there will be a different result.”

A moment after the heartbreak, Burg, whose full name is Eitan Burg Butler, provided an iconic frame that reminded everyone of the famous photo of Jimmy Butler after the 2020 NBA Finals. Was it intentional?

“The truth is, no. It just took me a moment to see what happened, the staff and players started shaking hands and then suddenly it hit me that all of this preparation, coming to Jerusalem a couple of days before the game, practicing in the arena and all the excitement around it – it’s all over, we’re going back to league play. Although I always like playing in the league, which is very competitive too, the cup was a certain kind of ‘peak’, especially for our team because we don’t play in Europe. So I just went and leaned on the first thing I could lean on. I didn’t imagine it in my head but I saw the picture after that and it turned out to be pretty cool.”

Burg had received an offer from Jerusalem in the past, so the game was special for him personally, “If I remember correctly, I was linked to Hapoel Jerusalem when I played in Netanya during the second year I was there. Noam Dovrat was injured and was finished for the season and then I, like many other players were approached if I’m not mistaken, received an offer but I just decided it wasn’t the right moment for me at the time to make the move. I really believed that I could reach the Premier League with Netanya together with Ben. In the end, we were one step away, one game away. That’s basically what the interaction between us was.”

Yehu Orland is Burg’s Head Coach over at Bnei Herzliya and is someone that Burg very much appreciates, “Yehu as a former player, is a ‘players’ coach.’ He knows how to talk to us and how to approach us, we really believe in his method. I think that beyond the fact that he is a great coach, he is an even better person and I really appreciate him for that. He has a good ear when there are moments that are not easy and I consult with him on other things, not only as a coach but also as a player who played the game and knows it very well. That’s where I really get the most out of him and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to train under him.”

Herzliya is in 4th place in league play with a 10-7 record and has surprised many, “The main factor for our success I think is the connection between all of the players. We have a lot of fun in each other’s company, even off the court as we meet every day after practice. We spend a lot of time together and I think this connection is what allows us to be so in sync on the court as we move as a unit and are there for each other.”

Burg is one of the best Israeli players in the league this season, with 10.7 points, shooting 50% from two, 1.5 3-pointers while hitting 37.1%, 87.2% from the free throw line, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.9 fouls and a 10.1 efficiency index in 22.4 minutes per game. In November, he was named Israeli Player of the Month. Interestingly enough, the guard has been in the starting lineup in only two of 17 league games and came off the bench in the other 15. Is he comfortable with the situation? “Yes, I feel comfortable in any position that needs me. Whether I come off the bench or I am in the starting lineup, it doesn’t make much difference to me. I’m focused on my minutes on the court, that the team is playing well and that we can win, that’s the most important thing.”

The Israeli Basketball All-Star Game will return next month and while it will be fun, Burg is focussd on one thing right now, “It’s very flattering if I would be selected then of course I’d be happy to go. It’s a fan vote, so if they decide that I’m a good fit, great I’ll be there. But right now I’m more eager to make a good impression with the national team and that we manage to bring pride to the country to at a time like this. That’s the most important thing.”

Burg’s father is singer Eddie Butler, who, as it is well known, represented Israel at the Eurovision competition with the song “Birthday”.

“My father follows my career and we’re in almost daily phone contact. Although my father doesn’t live in Israel, he lives in the United States, he is proud, supportive and backs me. He gives advice in whatever way he feels can help me, as someone who has dealt with certain pressures and expectations in his life in another field, music. It’s nice to have someone like him supporting me.”

Burg can play both the point guard and shooting guard positions and can excel at both depending on the situation at hand, “If there is a great point guard on the team, I will move to the 2 position, if there is a more dominant 2, I will move to the 1. Ultimately, I want to be the best that I can be at both positions, I think it will help me a lot personally in my career and for the teams I will be a part of, every player who knows how to play both solves a lot of problems for any team.”

As for what he needs to improve on, Burg goes straight to the point, “In general, I need to improve everything, if I had to point out something that I want to work on it’s consistency. Points, assists, rebounds, turnovers, everything. Being more consistent as a player and showing a consistent graph to my play, that’s key.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash is a family friend of Burg’s and he explained how that relationship came about, “Oded is a friend of my family through my mother’s husband, they’ve been friends for many years. At the time she married, Oded was coaching Hapoel Jerusalem and that’s why I would go to their games a lot and then I met Oded as a young player. I learned a lot of tips and things from him. He’s so smart and although I didn’t see him play live, I have seen videos of him and have trained with him as well. He’s my role model, my idol and without a doubt the Israeli basketball player I emulate to be. Not just his talent but also his composure and the way he radiates confidence. Amazing.”

Burg is expected to be a hot commodity in the Israeli basketball market this summer and since it was Dan Shamir who brought him to Herzliya for his first season with the club, could that perhaps influence a move to Jerusalem where the former coach is not the general manager. “Right now, I really have a goal in mind which is this national team window and in particular the success of my club team that I am currently committed to, Bnei Herzliya, that is most important to me, that the club succeeds and goes as far as possible. It’s important to me as a second-year player to chart some kind of path and I feel committed to the success of the club and that’s my focus until the summer arrives. In the meantime, I hope we can keeping picking up wins.”

Is there a chance that Burg will stay in Herzliya? “Only time will tell. I will finish the season hopefully as well as possible and then see what happens next season.”

Burg is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and spoke about the big Luka Doncic trade, “I think the Lakers won this trade. It’s a little bit crazy, but I’ll give my honest opinion, I don’t know how a player of this caliber wakes up one morning and finds out he was traded. It’s very strange to me, but I have no complaints. I love the Lakers and LeBron and wherever LeBron is, then so am I.”

Speaking of the NBA, legendary center David Robinson attended some of Burg’s games with Netanya during the 2022/23 season as the big man’s son Justin was playing on the same team.

“We were playing against Ramat Gan/Givatayim and suddenly a very tall man appeared in the stands. We were very surprised to find out it was David Robinson, if I’m not mistaken he (Justin) didn’t even tell us that his father was coming. It was crazy, then we all went down to the locker room and took pictures with him. He didn’t really have too much time to give tips and such, but he’s amazing. It’s definitely not something to take for granted that he came to Israel to support his son, it was special.”

Burg has often spoken about his love for soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, “Wow. First of all, I started as a soccer player before playing basketball and by sixth grade I combined the two. I decided that I would go with basketball, but Ronaldo will forever remain my idol. I am a huge fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. My role model as an athlete is Cristiano Ronaldo, dominant, a super hard worker, diligent, consistent, never-ending. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks like that. The world is divided into Ronaldo and Messi, so I’m on Ronaldo’s side.”

As for the best player Burg played with, he quickly answered that it was one of the Israeli league’s all time great gunners, “Chris Babb last year in Herzliya. He was only there for a very short time because after that the war broke out and he decided to leave, but during the time I played with him, he was the most talented basketball player I had ever played with, extraordinary talent, the ability to score at a high percentages and make super hard shots, amazing. Chris Babb, without a doubt.”

Of course, Burg was asked who has been the most difficult to play against as well, “I don’t know how to answer that, I played against a lot of good players. I can tell you who gave me my ‘welcome’ to the Premier League, it was none other than Bar Timor. We played at the Drive In and he just tore me apart and made me miserable that game, I really didn’t have an answer for him. Don’t tell him I said that (laughs), but I think Bar Timor was the hardest for me. That was my entrance into the Premier League and I realized that I have a lot of work to do and I need to improve a lot.”

Although Burg once met Kobe Bryant, he wears number 35 on the back of his jersey, “I’ve always been a big fan of Kevin Durant, I really like his game. I was a die-hard Oklahoma City fan when I was a kid and Kevin Durant was my favorite player and that’s where the number came from. When I got older I moved to the Lakers, so of course I went with LeBron. I realized that LeBron is one and second to none after God, of course, but it was first and foremost Kevin Durant, my first love. I think he’s the player who made me fall in love with basketball.”

Israeli basketball has had its ups and downs and challenges along the way between the war with Hams and COVID but all in all Burg is content with what he sees domestically, “First of all, I was a kid up until a few years ago. I was in the 10th grade and I wasn’t sure if I should even continue playing basketball as I encountered a lot of difficulties. It’s just crazy how life brings you to a situation where you blink and suddenly you’re wearing the national team uniform. Basketball here is really amazing and I think the guys here are amazing. We have one current NBA player and soon there will be another one. This is a highly talented and hungry generation and it’s just great for the sport. It’s a lot of fun to take part of the national team with such a list of players and hopefully we will all be part of the next generation that represents Israeli basketball.”

Burg’s, whose biggest dream is to play in the Euroleague, was honest, frank and straight to the point about the goals he has with the national team and Bnei Herzliya between now and the end of the season.

“I can’t really speak about the national team because this is my first ever window in the senior Israeli side. I’m coming in super hungry and humble, with a lot of humility and respect for those who were here before me, so for the national team, the only thing I can do is hope and I want us to win. Of course if I’m on the court I won’t give juts 100% but 1000%. I’m very excited to be here, especially during a time like this, it’s very special. There are kids my age are right now serving in the IDF and I’m here playing basketball, so it’s a privilege something that is really incomprehensible to me that I’m here.”

“At the club level, I would most like us to finish the season properly and go as far as we can. I really believe in the team and we quality foreigners and quality Israelis, a good coach and I hope we continue to win and maximize what we can get out of this season as much as possible.”