David Blu
An American sharpshooter who became a EuroLeague legend in Israel, redefining the forward position with his deadly three-point range.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American–Israeli basketball player·Birthday: July 18·Generation X
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, David Blu's basketball journey took a transatlantic turn that defined his career. After playing college ball at USC, he moved to Israel in 2003, becoming a naturalized citizen and adopting a new name that symbolized his fresh start. Blu didn't just adapt to European basketball; he transformed it. With a silky shooting stroke from a forward's frame, he stretched defenses in ways the EuroLeague hadn't seen before. His peak came with Maccabi Tel Aviv, where his clutch performances in high-pressure moments, particularly in the 2011 Israeli Finals where he earned MVP honors, cemented his status. For a decade, he was the quintessential stretch-four before the term became global, a player whose impact was measured in the space he created and the games he decided from beyond the arc.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP in 2011 after leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to a championship.
- Played ten seasons in the EuroLeague, among the longest careers for an American-born player in the competition.
- Recognized as one of the most prolific three-point shooters in EuroLeague history.
- Represented the senior Israeli national team in international competition starting in 2010.
Did You Know?
He changed his last name from Bluthenthal to Blu upon moving to Israel.
He was a teammate of future NBA star Nick Young on the USC Trojans basketball team.
His professional career lasted 14 years, all played entirely in Europe and Israel.
“My game is about finding the open man and making the defense pay.”
