Joe Chealey signed on to play with Hapoel Eilat for the 2023/24 season as the guard will look to make his Israeli league debut this coming fall. The 27-year old guard played his college ball for five years at Charleston where he scored 18 points, grabbed 4.6 rebounds and recorded 3.6 assists as a senior.

The floor general then moved on to the G-League and made a number of appearances for the Charlotte Hornets. In 2021, Chealey signed with Hapoel Gilboa Galil but due to an injury he did not have an opportunity to feature in the Holy Land and returned to play in the G-League. The Tampa, Florida native played in Poland last season with Dabrowa Gornicza where he averaged 15.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Head coach Massimiliano Menetti said, “I’m very happy that Joe has joined and understands the spirit and motivation once he puts on the team uniform. Joe is coming here after an amazing season in Poland where he showed his talent and abilities as a player and I am sure he will bring it here as well.”

College of Charleston Teammates:
Adjehi Baru “Bubba”: I’ve always loved playing with him. Joe is someone outside basketball you can come up to and talk to him about anything and everything. He is a very simple and genuine person to be around and hang with. On the court, he is a worker, his dedication is on another level because he always looks to find different ways how to get better and always stays humble in the process. And also I love the fact that he is religious and God always comes first thru everything he does!

Harrison Bowne: Joe is great player. He’s a floor general in the true sense of the term. He can take over a game offensively at any moment but he’s an extremely talented passer and shot creator for his teammates. Joe can score at every level from 3 point shooting to pull up mid-range jumpers and driving all the way to the basket. He is the gold standard of what a true point guard should be and his leadership qualities are what any championship caliber team needs. Eilat fans are going enjoy watching him play.

Nori Johnson: One of the hardest working and resilient people I have ever been around. Joe is a natural born leader that knows how to get people to come together for a greater cause than themselves. He is a true student of the game and embraces playing hard on both sides of the floor. Happel Eilat fans are in for a treat!

Charlotte Hornets Teammate Dwayne Bacon: He’s good man.

G-League Teammates:
Zach Smith: He’s humble, poised at all times and does well at leading by example

Demajeo Wiggins: Joe is real laid back, very caring and a hard worker. He was like my vet, he showed me the ropes of how to be a professional, taking care of my body, extra work, etc. Good IQ and very smart player who plays very good defense. The club, teammates, and coaches will love him

JP Macura: Joe is a great point guard. He really cares about getting his teammates open shots. Great teammate and a great person off the court as well.

Norense Odiase: That’s awesome, he’s an incredible guy. A leader, when he speaks, he takes up space and has the attention of everyone in the room. Not in an egotistical way, but from a place of service, wanting to uplift those around him. He’s extremely intentional with what he does, obviously he’s gifted on the floor, but his approach is meticulous, something guys around are inspired to emulate. Great guy!

Jarrell Brantley: Best PG I’ve played with.

Dabrowa Teammates:
Ousmane Drame: Joe is an exceptional point guard. He makes great decisions with the ball, very unselfish and he is all about winning. I enjoyed playing with him, because he gets everyone involved, he’s ultra competitive and one thing that’s underrated about him is how hard he goes on defense. A really great,complete player and Eilat should be glad to have him.

Patryk Wilk: Joe is such an incredible person. Very great teammate who always wants the best for his team. He is looking after every single player and trying to improve everyone. You can see his calm on and off the court. Joe is like real general. No nervous moves on the floor. Just professional. Decent guy, I wish for everybody to play with guys like him!