BOULDER, Colo. — It's not uncommon for kids to leave home in the pursuit of learning and other things at college.
For Alon Michaeli, that journey was a bit more involved. He traveled 7,000 miles from Israel to Boulder, seeking a future on the basketball court.
“I’m using FaceTime a lot," Michaeli, a freshman forward on the University of Colorado basketball team, said.
Picture this: It's the middle of the night in Kfar Saba on the western coast of Israel.
In one home, the lights are on, and you hear the dulcet tones of Mark Johnson's baritone ringing out into the darkness.
“My family is waking up in the middle of the night, especially my dad and my older brother" Michaeli said. "For example, the game yesterday was at 4:00 a.m. in Israel. I appreciate it a lot that they wake up at those hours to watch me play. It’s a really fun feeling.”
Despite the nine hour time difference, family comes first. It's written on Alon's skin — tattoos, designed by his sister, depicting his basketball journey alongside his brother.
“It can be hard, but obviously I’ve got some good people around me here so that makes it a lot easier for me," Michaeli said.
One of those good people is junior Barrington Hargress.
“Alon, I’ve stayed in a couple rooms with him. That’s my guy," Hargress, a junior guard on the basketball team, said. "He’s quiet for sure. But once he gets in the game he gets out there.”
“You know those people that are quiet but as soon as they say something? That’s the type of guy he is,” freshman guard Isaiah Johnson said.
Michaeli is also 20 years old and brings professional basketball experience to the Buffs. Before coming to CU, he played in Israel's top basketball league.
Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle sees Michaeli's time in the Israeli big leagues as a blessing and a curse.
"He’s practicing with grown men, so the practice habits that those kind of professionals have are not the kind of practice habits you need for a college basketball team," Boyle said. "It was a little bit of a shock to him when he got here, the intensity we have at practice. The good news is he’s not intimidated by anybody or anything. He’s also brought that toughness, that ruggedness and a lot of that comes from his personal background and what he’s had to go through in his life. He’s a wonderful young man and he brings a lot to this team.”
"I feel [playing professionally] prepared me a lot," Michaeli said. "I played with a lot of great players. I learned a lot and I feel like it helped me.”
“I try to pick his brain on certain things, like certain actions, how to come off of screens, just small things I would say that he would know as a pro," Johnson said.
As Michaeli continues to settle in and adjust to his new life, his potential on the court is obvious. His teammates believe future is bright for this young buffalo.
“He has a lot of room to grow and he’s still learning," Hargress said. "The sky’s the limit for him for sure.”
Some parts of American culture still elude him, but on the basketball court in Boulder — 7,000 miles away from home — Michaeli said he feels right at home.
