Overview
At 13, Noam Yaacov left Denmark and moved to Israel, settling in with his grandparents to chase a basketball dream. The bet paid off fast, as he signed a EuroLeague contract with ASVEL at 16 and became a fixture in Israel’s junior pipeline. He earned an All-Star 5 selection at the 2022 U18 European Championship, where he put up 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists over seven games, then took home a silver medal and an All-Tournament nod at the 2023 U20 Euros. He won an Israeli Cup in 2023 and a EuroCup title in 2025. But it was his breakout 2025-26 season with Oostende that turned heads. He averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.9 minutes per game, shooting 47.3%/35.9%/78.0%.
Analysis
Yaacov runs pick-and-roll with patience, changing speeds before slinging the ball to the open man while keeping his assist-to-turnover ratio positive. The point guard gets downhill with a low handle and a start-stop game that keeps bigger defenders guessing and draws fouls at a rate that points to craftiness inside the arc. He knocks down threes at a respectable clip with room to grow as a pull-up weapon. Defensively, Yaacov plays with active hands and competes on the ball, also jumping in passing lanes when defending off the ball.
Projection
Yaacov projects as a pick-and-roll guard who can run an NBA offense, push the pace in transition, and keep his teammates involved. His feel for the game, change-of-pace handle and knack for getting to the foul line give him a path to a rotational playmaking role. NBA comparisons to Yaacov can be made to players like Goran Dragic and TJ McConnell.
— Profile by RotoWire.com