Joaquin Szuchman

Szuchman was born in Argentina and relocated to Israel as a child.[1] He developed as a basketball player in the Gilboa/Maayanot youth department before breaking through with Hapoel Gilboa/Galil.[2]

By August 2018, at 23 years old and standing 1.91 meters tall, Szuchman had spent five seasons with Hapoel Gilboa/Galil's senior team in Gan Ner, making it the first and only senior club of his career to that point.[6] He had experienced both relegation and promotion with the club and was preparing for another season under coach Ariel Beit-Halmi.[6]

Hapoel Gilboa/Galil

Szuchman remained with Hapoel Gilboa/Galil until 2019 and became one of the Israeli Premier League's prominent Israeli players.[6][3] His 2017/18 campaign was particularly distinguished: he recorded 212 points and 118 rebounds in the regular season and was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year.[6] Despite receiving offers from other clubs, he chose to honor his contract and remain at Gilboa/Galil.[6] When asked why, he cited coach Ariel Beit-Halmi as the decisive factor: "He is the main reason I stayed. Unequivocally."[6]

Hapoel Tel Aviv

In June 2019, Szuchman signed a two-year deal with Hapoel Tel Aviv, ending his spell at Gilboa/Galil.[3] The move reunited him with Beit-Halmi and coincided with his first call-up to Israel's senior national team.[3] He averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in 2017/18, followed by 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his final season at Gilboa/Galil.[3] His second season at Hapoel Tel Aviv began poorly; by his departure in December 2020, he had averaged 1.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game that season.[4]

Hapoel Eilat

On December 31, 2020, Szuchman signed with Hapoel Eilat for the remainder of the season, once again joining Beit-Halmi.[4] By December 2021, he was producing what was described as the best season of his career. In a win over Hapoel Holon, he tied his career high with 22 points, shooting 3-for-4 from three-point range and adding four rebounds in 26 minutes.[2] He discussed his work on rebounding, shooting and decision-making, noting that securing defensive rebounds could allow him to initiate offense rather than rely on teammates to pass him the ball.[2] His parents traveled from the Gilboa area to every Eilat home game, stayed overnight and returned the following morning; he credited them and his wife with helping him through a difficult stretch of his career.[2]

Hapoel Beersheba

By September 2023, Szuchman was beginning his second season with Hapoel Beersheba.[1] He was part of the team that won the Balkan League championship, which he described as the club's first title, and said finishing in the upper half of the Israeli playoffs was the main goal for the season ahead.[1] Coach Lior Lubin and the club's management supported his continued participation in 3x3 basketball, an arrangement Szuchman credited with making the format a central part of his athletic life.[1]

Maccabi Ramat Gan

By September 2026, Szuchman was part of Maccabi Ramat Gan's squad.[5] A knee injury limited his availability early in the season; a September report said he was continuing rehabilitation and was not yet fully fit after medical staff advised the coaches against risking him.[5] He had also been released from Israel's national team squad for a World Cup qualifying window in June 2026 because of a knee injury.[7]

Szuchman has represented Israel across multiple age groups and formats. He appeared for Israel's youth, under-20 and Olympic national teams before progressing to the senior five-on-five squad and earning his first senior call-up in 2019.[3][8] By 2022, he had made seven appearances for the senior national team.[8]

His role in Israel's 3x3 program became especially prominent from 2022 onward. That June, he was part of the squad that qualified for the FIBA 3x3 European Championship in Graz, Austria—the second consecutive year Israel had qualified—after winning matches against Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine and Germany under coach Ilan Kovalsky.[9] The following year, Szuchman was selected for Israel's team at the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup held at Jerusalem's Sultan's Pool, which offered a route to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.[1] He described his excitement plainly: "I'm super excited. This is a top tournament and we have waited for this all summer to play in Jerusalem."[1] He said the Israeli 3x3 program had made "astronomical steps" during the preceding year and committed himself to helping develop the sport in Israel.[1]

After several years away from the five-on-five national team, Szuchman returned for World Cup qualifying games against Cyprus in Limassol in March 2026.[10] Israel won 94-54 on Friday and 83-54 on Sunday; the second result secured a berth in the next qualifying round and left Israel third in Group E with a 2-2 record.[10] "The guys played and practiced well, and I am very happy to take the two wins," he said afterward, calling it "a great experience to come back to the national team after a few years."[10]

Szuchman also served as Israel's flag-bearer at the European Games alongside runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.[1] He later reflected: "To walk into a stadium with 30,000 people and to be at the front of the delegation was something I will take with me for the rest of my life."[1] He described it as the most exciting and emotional moment of his athletic career.[1]

Szuchman plays primarily as a guard but has also been described as a swingman, reflecting his use across multiple positions.[1] His defense received formal recognition when he was named the Israeli Premier League's Defensive Player of the Year for 2017/18.[6] He has also worked to improve his rebounding, shooting and decision-making, with particular emphasis on using defensive rebounds to initiate offense.[2]

His commitment to three-on-three basketball extends beyond international competition. Away from the regular five-on-five season, Szuchman said that—aside from a trip of about one week with his wife—he spent almost every weekend in a different city playing in 3x3 tournaments, practicing, training or helping develop the sport.[1] He said Israel's program had taken "astronomical steps" and identified continued national development of 3x3 basketball as a central goal.[1]