Israeli basketball player wins league title, becomes a father in 72-hours

Elijah Bryant, former Brigham Young University basketball star and a member of Maccabi Tel Aviv, won the league championship and became a father within three days, according to BYU's Universe Sports. After the coronavirus pandemic shut down the league earlier this year, Bryant returned to the US and continued to train in Georgia and Utah. With a seven-month pregnant wife remaining in Utah, Bryant returned to Israel when the season resumed in late June and completed the season with a 86-81 victory over Maccabi Rishon in the Israeli Basketball Premier League championship game on July 28. “I was stressed during that trial of mine, but with faith, it all worked out how I wanted it to,” said Bryant, according to Universe Sports. “It was another testament of how having faith during trials always works out instead of murmuring.” Bryant celebrated the championship with his club before returning to the US and his wife, just hours before the birth of their son, Blu. “It was stressful for sure,” said Bryant. “I ended up landing like 12 hours before (the birth). So I landed, we got some food, I took a nap for literally three hours, woke up and went to the hospital. It was wild.” “Elijah means the world to me and Blu,” said Jenelle, Bryant's wife. “I've seen him grow from when we first started dating to when we got married and now as a father. He's just amazing. He's a hard worker both on and off the court.” Bryant was a member of the BYU men's basketball team from 2015 to 2018. He made the decision to go pro after his 2017-2018 season at BYU and played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Summer League before signing with the Hapoel Eilat team. After a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Summer League in 2019, Bryant joined Maccabi Tel Aviv on a two-year contract. Bryant's family has lived with him for much of his time in Israel. “I've come to respect the Jews a lot because they're very similar to Mormons,” said Bryant about his experience in Israel, according to Universe Sports. “They value family. Everything is a little bit harder here to navigate or get around. But I've been here for three years so that's kind of my new normal right now.”

Israeli basketball player wins league title, becomes a father in 72-hours

“It was stressful for sure,” said Bryant. “I ended up landing like 12 hours before (the birth)."

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Israeli basketball player wins league title, becomes a father in 72-hours

“It was stressful for sure,” said Bryant. “I ended up landing like 12 hours before (the birth)."

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