Israel's Hapoel to be without star guard for extended period ahead of clashes with Riga's Zellu

Israeli basketball club Hapoel will begin the new ULEB Eurocup season without its leading player. American point guard Harper suffered a torn ligament in his thumb during a training session, and the club estimates his recovery could take between three and five months.

Harper has been Hapoel's undisputed leader over the past two seasons. In June this year, the club signed him to a new three-year contract, and last season he was named the ULEB Eurocup's most valuable player for the second time in his career — a feat no other player in the competition's history had previously achieved. Harper averaged 19.5 points per game during the regular season.

Impact on games against Riga's Zellu

In the upcoming Eurocup season, Hapoel will also face Latvian club Riga's Zellu. The two teams' first meeting is set for October 21, a match Hapoel will certainly play without its top scorer. Given the club's estimated recovery timeline, Harper may also miss the second meeting between the sides, scheduled for December 23.