American Basketball Player in Israel Faces Uncertain Future
Destiny Littleton was set to return to the U.S. from Israel on Tuesday. However, her plans are now uncertain after she experienced an air raid during an Iranian counterattack. She feels a lot of uncertainty about when she will be able to go home.
The former NCAA and Team USA basketball player relocated to Israel in November to play for Hapoel Jerusalem. Before the recent events, she described her experience as incredible. But now, she admits that if given the chance to redo it, she wouldn’t have come to Israel at all.
“It’s scary, and it’s hard not to think about ‘what if?'” she told FOX News Digital. “We need to pray and hope that everything goes well and that we can leave safely.” On an early Sunday morning, an Iranian missile hit just 30 minutes away from her location, resulting in eight fatalities.
“This is my reality now. It’s a war zone. It’s the norm now,” she explained. “You sit, wait for alerts on your phone, prepare for sirens, head to a shelter, and then wait for things to calm down, only to do it again.” She lamented the normalization of such violence, something they are accustomed to in the region, but that still frightens them.
On Saturday, she shared an Instagram video showing her and her teammates, along with local people, screaming in fear as explosions erupted nearby and a drone hovered overhead. In another video, she captured the moment of fleeing into a shelter amid blaring sirens, later moving to another shelter that felt “uncomfortable.”
Access to news has been limited for Littleton; most reports are in Hebrew, which complicates her ability to stay informed. She expressed skepticism about the information circulating, referring to some of it as “propaganda.”
Littleton is reflecting on how this experience might shape her in the future. “I can’t tell you the full impact this is having on me,” she admitted. “Just being in an active combat zone for over 48 hours, even jumping at slight sounds, suggests there will be some trauma.” She has decided against returning to Israel for basketball in the future.
She had done research before moving, aware of the risks involved. But the current situation has entirely exceeded her expectations. “I had to make a decision, and it took a lot of research,” she recalled. “I consulted friends who were already here, and they offered positive feedback, which ultimately led me to come. At the end of the day, it comes down to considering risks and understanding whether it’s a current threat or not.”
Politically, Littleton has mixed feelings regarding the U.S. and Israel’s actions toward Iran. “The United States is trying to stop a regime that is terrible for the world, yet it seems to be following Israel’s lead,” she commented. “I’m generally against war and what it brings. I don’t like how it all happens.”
Littleton isn’t alone; she is one of three notable American women basketball players trapped in Israel during the current conflict. In 2022, she was part of the national championship team for South Carolina and won a gold medal at the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup in 2017 alongside other athletes.
On Saturday, her coach Dawn Staley announced the university’s efforts to secure the safe return of all three players. “We are planning to bring everyone home,” she stated, urging prayers for their safe return. Littleton conveyed that Staley assured her that the university is doing everything possible to ensure their safety.
“She truly cares about us. We will always be her babies, and she goes out of her way to ensure our safety, even from afar,” Littleton emphasized. “It’s taken a lot of time to make sure we are okay,” she said.
Littleton mentioned that she wouldn’t have come to Israel had she anticipated such a situation, but she acknowledged how the experience has kept her sane. “It’s been a great year,” she shared. “It opened many doors for me—I got to play the game I love and explore new countries. So there are positives, but given the current circumstances, focusing on the good helps maintain some sense of normalcy.”
