By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem is once again among the favorites to win the BKT EuroCup this season, and much of the credit goes to American center Austin Wiley.
The Israeli team is playing excellent basketball, with an impressive 11-2 record, leading Group A of the BKT EuroCup, and it seems likely it will secure a bye directly into the quarterfinals.
Reining EuroCup MVP Jared Harper leads the team with assistance from Cassius Winston, and the core of local Israeli players is doing an excellent job. But, another standout player attracting significant attention is 26-year-old center Austin Wiley.
Auburn Tigers connection since 2016
Austin Wiley attended Auburn University, which has been among the strongest programs in America over the past decade, and the team’s first of two NCAA Final Four appearances came in 2019.
Not only was Wiley a member of that team, but he played there alongside Harper, his current Jerusalem teammate. They were ultimately stopped in the semifinals after a painful loss in one of the tournament’s most dramatic games — Kyle Guy’s 3 free throws in the final second lifted Virginia to victory.
Wiley, unlike Harper, remained at Auburn for one additional season, and it was during that year that he posted his best numbers: 10.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over 31 games. He recorded 13 double-doubles and finished second in the SEC in rebounding. Despite his strong play, Wiley was not selected in the NBA Draft.
He began his professional journey in Europe. In 2021, Austin joined German side Ludwigsburg. He then played for Trier, and later in Lithuania for Neptunas Klaipeda, where he led the league in rebounding.
For the 2023-24 season, Wiley joined Tofas Bursa in Turkiye and was simply phenomenal. He collected numerous individual accolades and was, among other things, the MVP of the Turkish league, which led Jerusalem to seek his services.
Dominance in Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem – Best Defender of the BKT EuroCup
It seems that everything on Coach Yonatan Alon’s team is functioning perfectly, with Wiley being the defensive anchor.
Wiley dominates in the paint, averaging 10.3 points per game in just under 19 minutes on the court, with excellent shooting percentages—78% on two-point shots and 71% from the free-throw line. He excels around the rim, often finishing plays with dunks, and possesses a crucial quality for a good center, he catches almost every pass he receives in the paint. He leads the EuroCup with 9.0 per game and has an average PIR of 18.3.
Another hallmark of the Jerusalem center is his defensive play. He was chosen by EuroCup GMs as the best defender in the EuroCup in their mid-season survey. He is second in the competition with 1.6 blocks per game, forcing opponents into difficult shots, clearly highlighting his importance in the paint.
Wiley’s career has taken off in a positive direction over the past three years. He provides everything that Jerusalem needs, and if the team is to win the EuroCup, it is clear that he will be one of the key players.
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