Gal Mekel

Early life

Mekel is Jewish, and was born in Ramat HaSharon to Alon and Ariela Mekel, Israeli Jews. He has four brothers and two sisters. He attended Alliance High School in Tel Aviv.

He started his way in the Hapoel Tel Aviv youth team. Shortly after, he moved to the A.S. Ramat HaSharon youth team where he demonstrated a good playmaking ability. His ability caught the eyes of basketball giant Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he moved at the age of 17, and subsequently won the 2005–06 Israeli Youth League.

College career

Mekel played college basketball for two years at Wichita State. In his rookie season (2006–07), by mid-season he was promoted to starter. He finished his first season with averages of 13 minutes and four points per game.

In the 2007–08 season, Mekel improved his stats to 9.3 ppg and 3.7 apg while playing more than 30 minutes per game. Despite his improvement he decided to leave the team after that season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On March 28, 2008, Mekel signed his first professional contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, for the remainder of the 2007–08 season.

Hapoel Gilboa Galil

For the 2008–09 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv loaned Mekel to Hapoel Gilboa Galil, an Israeli club that is known for promoting young talents, in order to receive some playing experience, and return better the next year. In Galil, he averaged 6.9 points and 2.7 assists per game. He excelled in the league's playoff quarter-finals against Hapoel Holon, helping his team reach the Israeli Super League Final Four, where they lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Mekel ended up winning the Israeli Super League Discovery of the Year award.

Return to Tel Aviv

After a good season with Galil, Mekel returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv. They designated him at the point guard substitute spot, behind the team's newcomer Doron Perkins, who had won the Israeli Super League MVP award in the previous season. Mekel recorded 13 points and 5 assists in his debut game with Maccabi Tel Aviv, against Ironi Nahariya, in the second round of the 2009–10 Israeli Super League. In December 2009, he asked to be loaned out again, after the minority of minutes he was receiving.

Return to Galil

Mekel was loaned back to Gilboa/Galil, just 6 months after he finished his first loan to the same team. In Galil, Mekel shared the point guard position with Jeremy Pargo. Together, they led Galil to their second Israeli Super League title, after surprising Maccabi in the league's final. Mekel was a key member in the team averaging, 7.5 points and 4.3 assists per game, in 25.5 minutes per game.

In 2010, Mekel got offers from the Israeli clubs Bnei HaSharon and Maccabi Haifa, but he decided to stay in Galil, signing a one-year contract with them. He played with the team in the EuroLeague 2010–11 qualifying rounds, but didn't help the team to pass the qualification's first round, where they were eliminated by KK Hemofarm, from Serbia. At the Israeli national domestic level, Mekel led Galil to a 2nd-place finish at the end of the regular season. They were able to repeat their previous season's trip to the league's final, once again against Maccabi, but this time they lost. Mekel also had a great individual season, which concluded in him winning the Israeli Super League MVP award. He also played in the 2011 BSL All-Star Game.

Benetton Treviso

On July 5, 2011, Mekel signed a two-year contract with the Italian team Benetton Treviso. With Benetton, he reached the 2011–12 EuroCup Last 16, and finished in 11th place in the Italian 2011–12 LBA league. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 assists per game in the Italian League, and 4 points and 2 assists per game in the EuroCup. At the end of the season, the club ceased the activity of the first team, focusing on youth sector.

Maccabi Haifa

At the start of the 2012–13 season, Mekel wanted to stay with a club that was playing in European-wide competitions, but he also had tryouts with the Utah Jazz of the NBA, however after not receiving a sufficient contract offer from the Jazz, he agreed to terms with the Israeli club Maccabi Haifa. Mekel led the team to a 2nd-place finish at the end of the Israeli Super League regular season, and to the Israeli State Cup final, where they lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Haifa got another chance at a title that season, when they reached the Israeli Super league's final, which was held at their home court of Romema Arena. The Greens went on to win the match and the championship, after a great performance from Mekel: 21 points and 7 assists, after which he received the Israeli League MVP award, which he had won a night before.

Dallas Mavericks

On July 11, 2013, the Dallas Mavericks signed Mekel to a three-year minimum fully guaranteed contract, and he became the second Israeli to join the NBA. Mekel played with the Mavericks in the 2013 NBA Summer League, and finished with averages of 9.7 points and 5 assists per game.

In his debut regular season game for the Mavs on October 30, 2013, Mekel recorded 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists in a 118–109 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Two Israeli players played on opposing NBA teams for the first time on November 1 when Mekel and the Mavericks played Omri Casspi and the Rockets. The two had been teammates on the Israeli Under-16, Under-18, and Under-20 teams, and on the Maccabi Tel Aviv junior team. In that game, the Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 113-105 in Houston. Casspi scored 12 points in 21 minutes, and Mekel scored 11 points and dished off 6 assists in 23 minutes in his best NBA game to date. On November 30, he started in his first NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and scored 6 points and dished off 7 assists in 26 minutes. The Mavs lost that game though, 106-112. After the game on January 13, 2014, Mekel was placed on the injured list due to a torn meniscus in his right knee, which required surgery and at least 4–6 weeks of recovery.

On March 4, 2014, Mekel was assigned to the Texas Legends of the NBA D-League. On March 9, he was recalled by the Mavericks. On March 15, he was reassigned to the Legends. He was recalled three days later.

On October 29, 2014, Mekel was waived by the Mavericks.

New Orleans Pelicans

On December 5, 2014, Mekel signed a two-year, non-guaranteed contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. However, he was later waived by the Pelicans on December 19 after appearing in just four games.

Nizhny Novgorod

On February 24, 2015, Mekel moved to Russia, and signed with Nizhny Novgorod, until the end of the 2015–16 season. Nizhny Novgorod's 2014–15 VTB United League season was ended, after being eliminated by CSKA Moscow 3–0 in their VTB United League semifinal playoff series. In July 2015, he parted ways with Nizhny.

Crvena zvezda

On August 27, 2015, Mekel signed a one-year contract with Serbian ABA League team Crvena zvezda.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On January 10, 2016, Mekel has returned to the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv and signed a 3.5-year contract.

On July 4, 2017, Maccabi have decided to part ways with Mekel.

Herbalife Gran Canaria

On July 14, 2017, Mekel signed a one-year deal with Herbalife Gran Canaria.

Career statistics

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season. He also played in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.