{{short description|Israeli basketball player}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Noam Yaacov | image = נועם יעקב והגביע 2021.jpg | image_size = 160px | caption = Yaacov in 2021 | position = Point guard | height_m = 1.85 | league = BNXT League | team = Filou Oostende | number = 31 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|10|20}} | birth_place = Virum, Denmark | nationality = Israeli / Danish | career_start = 2020 | years1 = 2020–2021 | team1 = Hapoel Emek Hefer | years2 = 2021–2025 | team2 = ASVEL | years3 = 2023 | team3 = →Hapoel Jerusalem | years4 = 2024–2025 | team4 = →Hapoel Tel Aviv | years5 = 2025–present | team5 = Oostende | highlights = * EuroCup champion (2025) * Israeli Cup winner (2023) }} '''Noam Yaacov''' ({{langx|he|נועם יעקב}}; born October 20, 2004) is an Israeli-Danish professional basketball player for Filou Oostende of the BNXT League. He plays at the point guard position. He is committed to playing college basketball at the University of Utah where he’ll play for the Utah Utes.
==Early years== Yaacov was born in Denmark, just outside of Copenhagen, to a Danish mother (Sidsel) and an Israeli-Jewish father (Yonatan), he was raised in Denmark.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/rising-star-noam-yaakov-leads-emek-hefer-to-double-titles-671965|title=Rising star Noam Yaakov leads Emek Hefer to double titles|website=The Jerusalem Post|date=24 June 2021 }}</ref> In July 2018, at the age of 13, he immigrated to Israel without his parents, living with his grandparents.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://eurospects.com/player/noam-yaacov/|title=Noam Yaacov|access-date=2023-05-20|archive-date=2023-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226123822/https://eurospects.com/player/noam-yaacov/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Israel he resides in HaOgen, a kibbutz where his grandparents also live.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/sport/israelibasketball/article/s1kevfhrq|title=ריאיון מיוחד | הכישרון הגדול של הכדורסל הישראלי: "המטרה שלי היא להגיע ל-NBA"|first=אפרת|last=עמורבן|newspaper=Ynet |date=August 14, 2022|via=www.ynet.co.il}}</ref>
==College career== On April 20, 2026, it was announced that Yacoov had committed to play for the Utah Utes of University of Utah, while maintaining his eligibility, keeping his name in the NBA draft, and participating in the combine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Utah reportedly lands commitment from top European guard Noam Yaacov |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/utah-reportedly-lands-commitment-top-142105936.html |website=Yahoo Sports |date=April 20, 2026 |access-date=May 22, 2026 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Breaking: Utah adds high-priority point guard Noam Yaacov to 2026-27 roster |url=https://247sports.com/college/utah/article/breaking-utah-adds-high-priority-point-guard-noam-yaacov-to-2026-2027-roster-282516140/ |website=247Sports |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=May 22, 2026 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Utah knew the Noam Yaacov risk — now the waiting game begins |url=https://sports.ksl.com/ncaa/utah/noam-yaacov-utah-basketball/574157 |website=KSL Sports |publisher=KSL Broadcasting |access-date=May 22, 2026 }}</ref>
==Professional career== On July 5, 2021, Yaacov signed a contract with LDLC ASVEL of the LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.one.co.il/Article/387871.html |title=נציג חדש ביורוליג: נועם יעקוב חתם בווילרבאן |date=6 July 2021 |language=he}}</ref> On September 13, 2022, Yaacov made his debut for the team, recording 11 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/israeli-basketball/article/13062780|title=ברוך הבא: נועם יעקב שותף במשחק ראשון במדי וילרבאן }}</ref> In 2021-22 he averaged 7.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 17.1 minutes per game over 38 games.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Noam-Yaacov/Summary/179763|title=Noam Yaacov Player Profile, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem - RealGM|website=basketball.realgm.com}}</ref>
In 2022-23 with LDLC ASVEL he averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in 31.0 minutes per game over 13 games.<ref name="auto"/>
On January 4, 2023, Yaacov was loaned to Hapoel Jerusalem until the end of 2022–23 season.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=274&docID=424659 |title=רשמי: נועם יעקב הושאל להפועל ירושלים |date=4 January 2023 |language=he}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba-champions-league/1443406/hapoel-jerusalem-adds-noam-yaacov-basketball-champions-league/|title=Noam Yaacov lands at Hapoel Jerusalem for the rest of the season|date=January 4, 2023|website=Eurohoops}}</ref> He and the team won the 2022–23 Israeli Basketball State Cup.
On June 28, 2024, he was loaned to Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Ligat HaAl for the 2024-2025 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/noam-yaakov-signs-with-hapoel-tel-aviv/|title=Noam Yaakov signs with Hapoel Tel Aviv|last=|first=|date=June 28, 2024|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
Following the end of the season, Yaacov averaged 18 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He was then invited to the 2026 NBA G League draft combine. After having a great performance, he was then called to the 2026 NBA draft combine.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sweet |first=Randall |title=6 Players Earn Call-Ups From G League Combine to 2026 NBA Draft Combine |url=https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/6-players-earn-call-ups-from-g-league-combine-to-2026-nba-draft-combine-01krch5bx6x0 |website=Sports Illustrated |publisher=SI.com |date=May 11, 2026 |access-date=May 22, 2026 }}</ref>
==National team career== Yaacov played for Israel in the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship. In seven games he averaged 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/player/300962/Noam-Yaacov|title=Noam Yaacov - Player Profile|website=FIBA.basketball}}</ref> He was selected to the All-Star 5 of the tournament.<ref name="auto1"/>
Yaacov played for Israel in the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship. In seven games he averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Noam-Yaacov/Summary/179763|title=Noam Yaacov Player Profile, ASVEL Basket - RealGM|website=basketball.realgm.com}}</ref> He was selected to the All-tournament team.<ref name="auto2"/>
On 24 February 2023, Yaacov made his debut for the Israeli senior national team, in a 95–97 loss against Finland, recording 12 points and 2 assists, in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport5.co.il//articles.aspx?FolderID=416&docID=430324|title=שכרון מעמקים: ישראל נכנעה לפינלנד בהארכה - ספורט 5|date=February 24, 2023|website=Sport5.co.il - אתר ערוץ הספורט}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
===EuroLeague=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 | style="text-align:left;"| ASVEL | 26 || 2 || 10.0 || .328 || .118 || .722 || .7 || 1.3 || .3 || {{sort|-|—}} || 2.2 || 1.0 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 26 || 2 || 10.0 || .328 || .118 || .722 || .7 || 1.3 || .3 || {{sort|-|—}} || 2.2 || 1.0 {{S-end}}
===Basketball Champions League=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 | style="text-align:left;"| Hapoel Jerusalem | 4 || 0 || 2.6 || .250 || .000 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || .2 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 0.5 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 4 || 0 || 2.6 || .250 || .000 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || .2 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 0.5 {{S-end}}
===Domestic leagues=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;" ! Year ! Team ! League ! {{Tooltip|GP|Games played}} ! {{Tooltip|MPG|Minutes per game}} ! {{Tooltip|FG%|Field goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|3P%|3-point field-goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|FT%|Free-throw percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|RPG|Rebounds per game}} ! {{Tooltip|APG|Assists per game}} ! {{Tooltip|SPG|Steals per game}} ! {{Tooltip|BPG|Blocks per game}} ! {{Tooltip|PPG|Points per game}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Israel|size=20px}} Hapoel Jerusalem || style="text-align:center;"|Ligat HaAl || 18 || 14.7 || .397 || .286 || .783 || 1.6 || 1.9 || .3 || {{sort|-|—}} || 4.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|France|size=20px}} ASVEL || style="text-align:center;"|LNB Élite || 35 || 13.6 || .386 || .353 || .743 || 1.2 || 2.6 || .5 || .0 || 3.6 {{S-end}}
==See also== *Chanan Colman, Danish-Israeli professional basketball player
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.instagram.com/noaamyaacov/?hl=en Instagram page] *Joshua Halickman (July 28, 2022). [https://sportsrabbi.com/en/from-denmark-to-israel-to-france-meet-noam-yaacov-the-next-blue-white-hoops-star/ "From Denmark to Israel to France: Meet Noam Yaacov, the next Blue & White hoops star,"] ''Holyland Hoop''s.
{{BC Oostende current roster}} {{Hapoel Tel Aviv 2024–25 EuroCup champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yaacov, Noam}} Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Danish Jews Category:21st-century Danish sportsmen Category:21st-century Israeli sportsmen Category:ASVEL Basket players Category:Basketball players from Copenhagen Category:BC Oostende players Category:Danish expatriate basketball people Category:Danish men's basketball players Category:Danish people of Israeli descent Category:Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. players Category:Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. players Category:Israeli men's basketball players Category:Israeli people of Danish descent Category:Jewish Danish sportspeople Category:People from HaOgen Category:Point guards