Yehuda Gafni

Yehuda Gafni was born in Poland, but immigrated to Mandatory Palestine at the age of four. He served during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, but also took up basketball. When the newly-created Israeli Defense Forces noticed his talent, he was transferred to ensure that he could continue his training, and he was eventually discharged in 1950. He was selected to represent his new state at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where Israeli was eliminated in the qualification round. He was more successful at the 1953 European Championships, where the team placed fifth, and the 1954 World Championships, where they were eighth.

Domestically, Gafni played for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. and, with them, won the newly-formed Israeli League in 1954, 1955, and 1957 (there was no winner in 1956 due to the Suez Crisis). He retired from active competition that final year and moved to the United States, where he has remained since.