Former American-Israeli basketball player Willie Sims passed away on Friday at the age of 64. Sims had been hospitalized in serious condition since August following a heart attack. Sims was born in Lanett, Alabama and grew up in New York City. He was Jewish and predominantly raised by his grandmother, who converted to Judaism following her marriage to Sims' grandfather. He played high school basketball at Long Island City High School and college basketball at Louisiana State University from 1977 until 1981. Sims took part in the 10th 1977 Maccabiah Games as part of the United States national basketball team. He scored the winning shot against Israel in the finals and helped the United States to the title. He also played in the 11th Maccabiah Games, again representing the United States. He then played basketball in Israel for Maccabi Haifa B.C. from 1981 to 1983. From 1983 to 1985 he played for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C., where he won the Israeli Basketball State Cup. From 1985 until 1987 he played for Elitzur Netanya. From 1987 to 1992 he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., where he won the Israeli Basketball Super League five times and won three Israeli State Cups. He then played with Hapoel Eilat B.C. from 1992 until 1996. Sims was drafted in 1981 by the NBA's Denver Nuggets in the fifth round of that year's NBA draft, but he never played in the NBA. He is survived by his wife, Ariela, and three children. His daughter, Danyelle, is married to former Israeli basketball player Gal Mekel, who played in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans. (Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
