In a very touching press conference surrounded by her friends, family and peers, Limor Mizrachi – one of the best Israeli basketball players ever – announced her retirement from the game. "This is the saddest, happiest and most emotional moment in my life", said Mizrachi, "I've fulfilled most of my ambitions as an active player and this is the right time for me to come full circle".
Responses from people around the sport including Limor's old ABL coach, NBA legend K.C Jones, plus comments from Vickie Johnson – inside.
"I must admit this wasn't an easy decision for me to make, but the hardest thing since has been dealing with people's responses", said Mizrachi to start off the press conference. "Friends, family, even just people on the street come and say 'why are you doing this to us'? It's not easy to sum up 32 years in one moment, a chapter in my life in which my entire world revolved around the orange ball with unconditional love. I've fulfilled almost every goal, in the U.S, in Europe, in the Israeli league and in the national team. I've played almost on any team in the league and for those I didn't get a chance to, maybe in the next lifetime", she joked.
"I've had an amazing long journey, I always believed my passion for the game would overcome anything, I believed that when you aim high you get high. Aspiring for excellence and hard work have been my way of life", Mizrachi continued. Over her career Mizrachi won four Israeli championship and cups, three more championships and two more cups in Europe, was runner up in the EuroLeague finals and has played professionally in the U.S for the ABL.
"I've fulfilled most of my ambitions as an active player and after being named Athlete of The Decade recently I feel this is the right time for me to come full circle. I have never taken any of this for granted, doing what you love best for a living is a big privilege and something I've always valued, especially today. Naturally I see myself staying involved in basketball, and contributing from my experience to the next generation. Up until now wherever I looked the orange ball was there for me, from now on I'm going to be there for it".
"I want to thank all those who've been with me all these years, and first and foremost my dear parents who've always been there for me. In my long career I've played for many coaches and each one of them helped shape me as a player and for that I say thank you. I also want to thank my fans who have stayed with me no matter where I played. Some of them still refuse to believe I'm retiring, they told me a few minutes ago there's still time to change my mind".
Many of Limor's peers attended the press conference and spoke in honor of the retiring legend:
Orly Grossman
One of Israel's best female players in history, retired at 27 due to injury.
"Limor and I met on the u-16 National Team, she was two years younger than me, little kid who doesn't say anything. Her mom came to me and said 'watch over my girl' and from that point on we became very close friends. Everyone know how special Limor was as a player so let me tell you a little story. One morning at 7am I was driving my car and suddenly I see a solider walking and dribbling on the sidewalk, I stop and see Limor dribbling on her way to the base. Now you see how she got that great handle? Limor let me tell you there is life after basketball, a beautiful and full life and even though it doesn’t look realistic to you right now, I'll wait patiently until the day you return and star with me in the 2nd division".
Eric Shibak
Decorated Israeli coach, current champion in the Netherlands
"I've had the honor of coaching Limor in the National Team. Limor was a role model for persistence, determination, always knew how to overcome obstacles. She is a winner in the extreme sense of the word, she just doesn't know how to lose. Limor, your entire life was basketball and it showed. Her will to win affected everyone around her. I think Limor as a player was ahead of her time, kids today immolate things she did 15-20 years ago. I want to wish you all the best, you're an asset to Israeli basketball and I'm sure you'll be successful in whatever you choose to do".
Orna Ostfeld
Ramat Hasharon's coach who has coached Limor for many years including the last two.
"I want to personally thank Limor for having the privilege to coach her. Two years ago when Limor played in Gospic, Croatia and won the championship after her team was down 0-2 in a 5-game series, we sat with Limor and told her she has to come back and play in front of her fans and the local media who followed her all these years. Limor contributed a lot to the team over the past two years, part of the deal was her filling up the arena with family and friends. You were a role model your whole life. As a coach coaching against you every year I would prepare my team and you'd come in with something new. Above your on-court abilities you were such a leader, as a coach I felt like I had another coach on the floor. I was calm when you were on the court. You controlled the tempo, knew how to encourage your teammates, especially the young ones. I want to thank you and I hope you're not really retiring, you have a lot more to contribute to basketball and it's important for the history, the legacy, the past, present and future".
Liad Suez Karni
Israel's National Team Captain
"I've known Limor since I was about 16 years old, when I first played on the National Team and I can testify first hand on how much she has helped me. I've always looked at Limor as a role model, we became friends and she has helped me tremendously. We would practice together in the summer, she taught me what it means to be professional. As the current captain of the national team I want to thank Limor for all she's given us and the sport and I wish her all the best in the world".
K.C Jones
NBA Legend: won 8 titles as a players for the Celtics and two as the Celtics head coach.
"I congratulate Limor Mizrachi, an outstanding athlete in her homeland of Israel and also here in the USA, for her admirable contributions to the sport of basketball. I had the privilege of coaching her during the
shortened 1998 season of the New England Blizzard (ABL) and was impressed by her determination, effort and skill in scoring, assists, steals and rebounding in her contributing role as a point guard. She was devoted to the game and a valuable member of the team.
I wish her well in all her future endeavors."
Vickie Johnson
"You cannot think about Israeli basketball without thinking about Limor. She has played at the highest levels of the game and has always been successful. What I like most about her is that even with all the awards she's won and all the championship titles she has under her belt, she never let any of it get to her head. She never had to talk a lot of trash about how good she was, because her game did it for her. Every time she stepped on the court she gave it her all and you have to respect someone with that kind of character."
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