Uri Kokia

Uri Kokia
Kokia with Maccabi Haifa, 2013
Elitzur Yavne
Position Center / Power forward
League Liga Leumit
Personal information
Born (1981-05-14) May 14, 1981
Yavne, Israel
Nationality Israeli
Listed height 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight 255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
Playing career 2000–present
Coaching career 2014–present
Career history
As player:
2000–2001 Hapoel Tel Aviv
2001–2002 Ironi Nahariya
2003–2004 Hapoel Galil Elyon
2004 Ironi Nahariya
2004–2005 Bnei HaSharon
2005–2007 Ironi Nahariya
2007–2008 Maccabi Haifa
2008–2009 Hapoel Holon
2009–2013 Hapoel Jerusalem
2013–2014 Maccabi Haifa
2015 Hapoel Ramat Gan
2015–2016 Ironi Nahariya
2016 Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2016–2018 Hapoel Ramat Gan
2018–present Elitzur Yavne
As coach:
2014–2015 Hapoel Jerusalem (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

As player:

As coach:

Uri Kokia (Hebrew: אורי קוקיה‎; born May 14, 1981) is an Israeli professional basketball player for Elitzur Yavne of the Liga Leumit. He is a center/power forward and was a member of the Israel national basketball team.[1][2]

Basketball career

Uri Kokia began playing basketball with sport clubs Elitzur Yavneh and Maccabi Rehovot.[1] At 21 years of age, Kokia entered the Premier League, playing for Hapoel Galil Elyon.[1]

He played five seasons for Ironi Nahariya, and has also played for Bnei Hasharon, Maccabi Haifa (after the 2007-08 season), Hapoel Holon, and Hapoel Jerusalem (for whom he was team captain).[1][2][3][4][5][6]

In 2010, at the age of 29, Kokia was slated to make his Israel national team debut for the start of the 2011 EuroBasket qualifying campaign.[1] In November 2010, he suffered a torn tendon in his shoulder.[2]

In the 2014/2015 Premier League season he served as an assistant coach in Danny Franco's Hapoel Jerusalem, winning the team's first championship.

On June 19, 2018, Kokia joined his former team Elitzur Yavne of the Liga Leumit.[7]

Personal life

On November 28, 2017, Kokia came out as gay, becoming the first male professional basketball player in Israel to publicly do so.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Livnat, Arie (July 27, 2010). "Over under-20". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Ben, Tal (November 12, 2010). "Basketball / Jerusalem center to have shoulder surgery". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ Livnat, Arie (May 14, 2009). "Playoffs / Holon's birthday boy looks to celebrate against Gilboa/Galil". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ Livnat, Arie (February 17, 2009). "Basketball / State Cup semis / Haifa, Holon earn last-second wins". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ Allon Sinai (December 16, 2009). "Hapoel taken to school in Zadar defeat. Jerusalem still leads Croatian club in Eurocup group standings after 17-point road loss". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  6. ↑ Louie Lazar (October 27, 2008). "Scrappiness, athleticism characterize revamped Holon. The defending Israeli champions, led by new coach Danny Franco, have had to rebuild after a tumultuous offseason". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ "חוזר הביתה: אורי קוקיה מצטרף לאליצור יבנה". one.co.il (in Hebrew). June 19, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ "בגיל 36, הכדורסלן אורי קוקיה יצא מהארון: "אני מרגיש שלם עם עצמי"". walla.co.il (in Hebrew). November 28, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
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