When Eitan Burg was called up to the preliminary squad of the Israel National Team ahead of the European Championship, many eyebrows were raised.
The guard, who turns 23 on Thursday and is about to start his first season in the NCAA at the University of Tennessee, had just finished a decent campaign with Bnei Herzliya.
Still, Burg survived cut after cut and ultimately flew with the team to the tournament. After sitting on the bench for two games, Burg was thrown into the deep end against France, no less. Statistically, he registered just five points, but anyone who watched the game knows he was a key part of the massive win.
With Israel having punched their ticket to the EuroBasket round-of-16 and just ahead of a huge clash against Slovenia, which happens to be on Burg’s birthday, there’s an opportunity to clinch first place in Group D, which would set them up with an easier opponent to begin the knockout round. With that, the point guard sat down with The Jerusalem Post and admitted he himself didn’t believe he’d make the final squad, but that didn’t stop him from trying.
“Hand on heart, I’ll say I really didn’t believe I’d be in the final squad. But I came in humbly, worked very hard, gave it everything, body and soul. I told myself, worst-case scenario, if I don’t make it this year and I don’t get to be part of this tournament, at least I’ll get to the US in better shape. I think that approach released something in me, and it gave me a kind of freedom and confidence. That’s really how it turned out.”
After not playing against Iceland and getting just two minutes against Poland, Burg knew he had to take advantage when Ariel Beit Halachmi subbed him in against France.
“I said to myself, this isn’t something I can let slip through my fingers. I can’t allow that. First and foremost, I brought the energy. That was the most important thing. And then I started connecting plays, which earned me a few more minutes. I understood that this is my role, to come off the bench, try to shift the momentum, bring energy, and do whatever helps the team win.”
Having kind of always been an underdog in his career, Burg has begun to relish that role.
“It’s a position I’ve gotten used to, let’s say it that way. I think from the moment I left Maccabi Beit Dagan, when I was 14 or 15, from that point on I’ve mostly played as an underdog. But wherever I go, whether expectations are high or low, I don’t deal with that. I focus on myself and my work.”
Asked about the fan booing during the Israeli national anthem before the Poland game, Burg was emotional.
“It was chilling. It hurt me personally. It was really jarring to hear that kind of response. The more they booed, the louder we sang. We shouted the anthem, we were proud of the flag, proud of who we are, and of our nation. We’re never ashamed as it’s an honor and a huge privilege to wear these uniforms, especially here in Poland. You hear the boos, you see all that hate, and that made it even sweeter to win that game.”
In the upset of France, Burg noted how much of a help the Israeli fans were.
“Wow, it was a huge boost. Huge. Even during the booing, you could still hear the anthem. Not just us, but also the fans who were shouting it out. Yesterday, we felt that in both numbers and passion, we were stronger than anything. It’s amazing that we’re not coming in like scared Israelis anymore. We’re here. We’ve arrived. And we’re here to stay. I love it that everyone’s into it and we’re all in it together. And how should I put it? We’ve got a motto on the team from the beginning: ‘I love this.’ So yeah, I really love this. And thanks to everyone who came yesterday – it’s not taken for granted.”
Playing for Israel with Avdija, a dream come true
Three years ago, Burg said that it was his dream to play with Deni Avdija, a goal he has now realized.
“First of all, it’s insanely fun. This is my first time playing with Deni. I played against him once in high school league, I was 17, he was 18, and of course, he destroyed us. Playing with him now is a really nice coming full-circle moment, but again, this is just the beginning. I hope to team up with Deni again in future national teams, and I hope to play with or against him in the best league in the world. I feel like it’s in my hands.”
Burg is part of a big trend of European, and especially Israeli, players heading to play college ball in the US.
“I think it was really the opportunity. I had offers from Maccabi, Holon, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Hapoel Jerusalem, but when the colleges called, I said, ‘What do I have to lose? This is interesting.’ So I went to see it with my own eyes. And what I saw was endless opportunities to improve. The level of professionalism is something, and I say this with regret, that just doesn’t exist here in Israel. It doesn’t. It’s a different kind of money invested in facilities, infrastructure, coaching, everything the system has to offer.”
It is a bit of a challenge for Tennessee not to have Burg available for training yet.
“They’re a bit on edge. I’ve been in constant contact with them from the start, completely transparent. I kept telling them: ‘Look, there’s no guarantee I’ll make the final squad, so for now it’s just practice, we’ll go through the cuts and see.’ Every time, there was that phone call that I had to make and say, ‘Guys, I made it through another round.’ And you could hear the joy mixed with disappointment on their end. But at the end of the day, they’re supportive. I think it’s a huge honor to be a college player at EuroBasket. I don’t know how many are here, I haven’t checked, but it’s a big honor for me and for them too.”
On Thursday, Burg and Israel face a tough challenge in Luka Doncic and Slovenia.
“Luka’s a huge name, of course, and actually, the game against him is also on my birthday, so there’s extra motivation. We’re coming to win, especially with the amazing crowd that showed up and has been supporting us. They give us the strength.”
Burg feels there ultimately is no ceiling for this Israeli team.
“We’ll go as far as we push ourselves. We’ve got a great coach, we’ve got amazing players, and we’ve got incredible fans. Against France, we felt what we did for the entire country. The support we’re getting is enormous, and that’s such an enormous and special thing. I’m sure that in the next game, we’ll come out with crazy passion and energy.”