Dmytro Skapintsev has officially signed with Israeli basketball club "Hapoel" Jerusalem, ending his time with the Portland organization in the NBA. The 27-year-old Ukrainian center was already presented on the official website of his new team.
"We're excited to welcome Dmytro to our family. His size, rebounding ability, and experience in American basketball will be valuable assets for our upcoming campaigns," – stated a representative of the Israeli club.
Skapintsev spent the last few years in the NBA system since 2022, though he primarily played in the G-League rather than getting significant minutes at the highest level. His development continued mostly with farm teams, where he showed solid fundamentals but couldn't break through to consistent NBA action.
Last season, the Ukrainian big man averaged respectable numbers with "Rip City Remix," Portland's G-League affiliate – 10.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Not bad stats that clearly caught the attention of European scouts.
By the way, "Hapoel" officials have expressed satisfaction with the acquisition, hoping Skapintsev will help them achieve their desired results in both domestic and international competitions. The Jerusalem club is looking to strengthen their frontcourt presence, and the Ukrainian's rebounding skills could prove particularly useful.
Interestingly, Skapintsev won't be joining the Ukrainian national team for their World Cup pre-qualification matches. The national squad already suffered a narrow defeat to Switzerland in their first game, losing 64:66. Could his presence have made the difference in such a close contest?
The move represents another case of talent flowing back from NBA development systems to European basketball, where many players find more consistent playing time and different roles than what was available to them across the Atlantic.
