By Jake Baum
Cooper Josefsberg is no stranger to high-level basketball.
A member of the Florida Gators men’s basketball program, Josefsberg was part of the team’s 2025 national championship run – an experience few athletes ever reach, and one he still struggles to fully describe.
“It’s been better than words can explain… Not many people get to win a national championship.”
But long before competing on college basketball’s biggest stage, Josefsberg’s connection to the game was already intertwined with something deeper, his Jewish identity and his involvement with Maccabi USA.
Growing up in Miami, he competed in the JCC Maccabi games multiple times, against top Jewish athletes from around the world. Those early experiences helped shape both his game and his perspective, introducing him to the global Maccabi community at a young age.
This summer, that journey comes full circle.
The former walk-on will travel to Israel for the first time as a member of the Maccabi USA Open Men’s 3-on-3 basketball team. It is an opportunity that blends his athletic career with a long-awaited personal milestone.
“I already know Maccabi… but I am so excited to get to experience new places, especially one with so much history and culture,” he said. “It’s kind of a surreal feeling.”
For years, the demands of basketball kept him from making the trip through programs like Birthright. Now, the sport that once limited that opportunity is the very reason he’s going.
“It’s cool that the thing that has stopped me from going to Israel my whole life is the thing that is actually bringing me there.”
While the former high school district champion is accustomed to the traditional five-on-five game at the collegiate level, his decision to compete in the faster-paced 3-on-3 format was influenced by familiar voices within both his college and Maccabi circles.
Florida head coach Todd Golden, (a former Maccabiah gold medalist) encouraged him to embrace the experience, even if it meant missing Florida’s offseason program.
“Coach Golden told me that it was okay to miss summer workouts if it was for Maccabi, because it was for something bigger than that.”
Golden’s own experience at the 2009 Maccabiah, where he won gold under longtime college coach Bruce Pearl, gave his advice added weight.
The six-foot-four junior was also influenced by figures within the Maccabi system, including coach Harrison Singer, who helped guide his development in previous competitions and played a role in his transition to the 3-on-3 format. Together, those relationships made the decision an easy one.
“They told me it’s a special thing that I should definitely experience,” Josefsberg said.
On the court, Josefsberg continues to carve out his role at Florida. Earlier this season, he reached a personal milestone, scoring his first collegiate points on a three-pointer against Mississippi State, a moment that reflected both persistence and patience within a championship-caliber program.
But this summer offers something different.
Beyond the competition, Josefsberg understands the significance of representing both his country and his heritage on an international stage. Having once looked up to Jewish athletes competing at a high level, he now recognizes that he has become that example for others.
“There are a lot of kids that look up to me and what I have done… I am happy to be that person for the next Jewish generation.”
With his college season behind him and his first trip to Israel ahead, Josefsberg is approaching the summer with both perspective and purpose.
And while the experience itself carries meaning far beyond the scoreboard, his competitive mindset hasn’t changed.
“I’m leaving Israel with a gold medal.”
Jake Baum is a recent graduate of the University of Miami, having earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism. He has reported on sports news across the country, with stops in Kansas, Colorado, and San Francisco. He is excited for his first international reporting opportunity with Maccabi USA!