KIJ: You were the 12th draft pick in the 1965 NBA draft, but you would up in Israel. Why did you forgo an NBA career to play in Israel? Have you always had a closeness to Israel?

TB: My father lived in Israel from 1921-23 and was one of the engineers to build the first electric station and airfield in Herzliya. Growing up I heard stories about Israel from time to time, but at that time I didn't really feeling connected to Israel.I went to Sunday school once a week. That was what was connecting me in the past. As far as basketball, I was coming out of Illinois and being honored as one of the top 10 players in the U.S.  The Baltimore Bullets (now known as the Washington Wizards) drafted me.  I thought they already had good guards so I asked them if they could trade me to Philadelphia because they needed good guards in Philly. Baltimore wouldn't trade me so I told them I’d like to go play in the Maccabi games in Israel. They told me it was OK and that I should return. When I went to isreal I was presented with a challenge. The Maccabi Tel Aviv team had never made it past the first round in the European games.  I had the opportunity to really help take Maccabi somewhere.  Also, back then in the NBA the minimum salary was about $20k 0r $30k a year. (Wilt Chamberlain was making $120k.) It wasn’t the same NBA.  When I got the challenge from Maccabi I called Baltimore and said if you’re not going to trade me to Philly I’lm going to play for Maccabo Tel Aviv.  It was the challenge of taking basketballl in Israel to a different level.  I took the team to the European championship in 1977. 

KIJ: You originated the quote "We are on the map" after beating the Soviet Red Army Team in the 1977 European Tournament. What changes have you seen in Isreal since 1977?

TB: First of all that quote came out of the excitement of beating one of the greatest Russian teams ever. At the time all maps showed Israel being very small with tiny borders.  Apparently it was on my mind when all the fans erupted on the floor and the announcer put the microphone in my face.  Now, what changes in Israel? It was a beautiful ride in taking Israel to multiple championships. More than that I have seen how countries have folded, the Iron Curtain has folded, the Arab Spring has come about and the only stable country in the region is Israel.  Israel, the only democratic country in the Middle East is a stable democracy and it is one of the most beautiful things to see and to live in. 

KIJ: Now you serve as Israel's Goodwill Ambassador. What type of work do you do? Where do you travel?

TB: My first mission to The States was in Washington DC and Boston. I asked first to go to Harvard. I knew from Harvard everything else would be easy. Typically, I come on and speak about Israel beyond the conflict. I also let (students) know the problem of the intifada and address the issue surrounding the security fences. Before the intifada we never had security fences.  We had open borders. The fence is like a lego fence - it can be taken down as much as it can be put up, but there has to be a peace aggreement. We value our security. This is what I’m talking about with students from coast to coast. I speak with Jewish organizations and young leadership organizations, but also Christian, African American and Hispanic organizations. In many places schools ask me to do a basketball clinic with their team and when all the students are in the auditorium I speak 15 mins or a half hour about Israel. I tell them how Israel is the sports capital of the Middle East and how our sportsmen have succeeded in the Oympics.  I talk about our social and cultural life, our family life and how it is to live in Israel from the perspective of a fellow who was born in America.  I talk about why I decided to stay in Israel and what I’ve been doing in Israel.

KIJ: What do you like most about what you are doing now?

TB: It’s my last stage of life. I sold my business 4 or 5 years ago and Prime Minister Netanyahu asked me to come and do public service.  It’s the first time Israel made a Goodwill Ambassador.  It’s challenging. I am very satisfied because I feel the message is getting across. People talk about apartheid and these people haven’t been in Israel.  I can tell people what they say is foolish.  I’ve been in South Africa and I know what apartheid is and I know what South Africa is and that is NOT Israel. People mix in Israel - Arabs, Jews, Black, White - they mix in Israel. A lot of Americans see the (protest) signs and see the anti-Israel demonstrations and the people who haven’t been to Israel don’t know how to handle it. They hear the garbage and sometimes it sinks in. It’s a shame they have to see all these types of things that are not true about Israel. As a Goodwill Ambassador, I’m glad I have a chance to answer people’s questions based on my experience of living 45 years in Israel. I’m not talking as a politician. I’m talking as a person who loves Isreal. I’m happy doing it because I know it’s important.