Seton Hall point guard Tom Maayan was looking forward to his sophomore season, a season which wasn’t always guaranteed. And now, it may be cut short.
Maayan, an Israeli citizen who returned to the team in August after spending three months in basic training with the Israel Defense Forces, now may have to report back for duty by the beginning of 2014.
According to the New York Times, Maayan learned before the team’s game on Monday that he is expected back in Israel by Jan. 2. An Army spokesman had said Maayan’s exemption was only for 120 days and he was not officially permitted to leave the country.
The Star-Ledger reports there is a meeting Wednesday between Maayan and other relevant parties regarding the situation, in order to figure out what he will do next.
In Israel, all men over the age of 18 are required to serve in the military for three years, and those who do not report for basic training are jailed upon their return to the country. Maayan was detained for two days for arriving late to training.
The Israeli Sports Authority granted Maayan a waiver allowing him to return to Seton Hall on Aug. 7, but with the condition that his final status “shall be determined.”
Maayan is averaging more than 17 minutes per game with the Pirates this season and is second on the team with 3.5 assists per game.