Uri Kokia

Uri Kokia (Hebrew: אורי קוקיה; born May 14, 1981) is an Israeli professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player. He is the current head coach for Ironi Ramat Gan of the Liga Artzit. Kokia played as a center/power forward position and was a member of the Israel national basketball team.[1][2] He was named the Israeli Basketball Super League Most Improved Player in 2009. In November 2017, Kokia publicly came out as gay.[3][4]

Uri Kokia
אורי קוקיה
Kokia with Maccabi Haifa, 2013
Ironi Ramat Gan
PositionHead coach
LeagueLiga Artzit
Personal information
Born (1981-05-14) May 14, 1981
Yavne, Israel
NationalityIsraeli
Listed height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
Playing career2000–2019
PositionCenter / power forward
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
2000–2001Hapoel Tel Aviv
2001–2002Ironi Nahariya
2003–2004Hapoel Galil Elyon
2004Ironi Nahariya
2004–2005Bnei HaSharon
2005–2007Ironi Nahariya
2007–2008Maccabi Haifa
2008–2009Hapoel Holon
2009–2013Hapoel Jerusalem
2013–2014Maccabi Haifa
2015Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
2015–2016Ironi Nahariya
2016Maccabi Kiryat Gat
2016–2018Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
2018–2019Elitzur Yavne
2019Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim
As coach:
2014–2015Hapoel Jerusalem (assistant)
2019–presentIroni Ramat Gan
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

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][5][6][7][8] He was named the Israeli Basketball Super League Most Improved Player in 2009.

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]

On June 19, 2018, Kokia joined his former team Elitzur Yavne of the Liga Leumit.[9] However, on January 20, 2019, Kokia parted ways with Yavne and joined Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim for the rest of the season.[10]

Coaching career

In the 2014/2015 Premier League season he was named Hapoel Jerusalem assistant head coach, he won the team's first championship.

On August 8, 2019, Kokia was named Ironi Ramat Gan new head coach for the 2019–20 season.[11]

Personal life

On November 28, 2017, Kokia came out as gay, becoming the first male professional basketball player in Israel to publicly do so.[3][4][12]

References
  1. Livnat, Arie (July 27, 2010). "Over under-20". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  2. Ben, Tal (November 12, 2010). "Basketball / Jerusalem center to have shoulder surgery". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  3. "בגיל 36, הכדורסלן אורי קוקיה יצא מהארון: "אני מרגיש שלם עם עצמי"". walla.co.il (in Hebrew). November 28, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  4. Zeigler, Cyd (2017-11-29). "Uri Kokia is first Israeli pro basketball player to come out as gay". Outsports. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  5. Livnat, Arie (May 14, 2009). "Playoffs / Holon's birthday boy looks to celebrate against Gilboa/Galil". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  6. Livnat, Arie (February 17, 2009). "Basketball / State Cup semis / Haifa, Holon earn last-second wins". Haaretz. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. "חוזר הביתה: אורי קוקיה מצטרף לאליצור יבנה". one.co.il (in Hebrew). June 19, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  10. "קוקיה עזב את אליצור יבנה וחתם בר"ג/גבעתיים". one.co.il (in Hebrew). January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  11. "אורי קוקיה חוזר לקווים". safsal.co.il (in Hebrew). August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  12. Cooper, Mariah (2017-11-30). "Israeli professional basketball player Uri Kokia comes out as gay". www.washingtonblade.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
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