Israeli guard Yarden Garzon is emerging as a key leader for No. 9 Maryland Terrapins, delivering steady production and veteran poise even as her family lives through the war back home.
The 22-year-old transfer from Raanana arrived in College Park after three standout seasons at Indiana, where she averaged 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while leading the Big Ten in three-point percentage (42.2 percent).
Maryland won the recruitment by offering Garzon a larger role, major minutes, and a campus environment with one of the biggest Jewish student populations in the country. While her scoring numbers have dipped as she adjusts to a new system, she has posted a career-high 3.4 assists per game and has become one of Maryland’s most reliable playmakers. She also broke through with a season-high of three three-pointers against Princeton and has never shot below 40.7 percent from behind the arc or 43.1 percent from the field in any season.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese has credited Garzon’s court vision and defensive intensity the Terps’ 6–0 start, describing her as “a complete all-around player” who raises the team’s level of compete on every possession.
However, Garzon’s rapid rise is even more striking given the pressures she carries off the court. She tracks real-time alerts from Israel, where her twin sister and siblings live, and says the anxiety often spikes when major security incidents unfold.
“Overall, growing up in Israel, as crazy as it sounds, you kind of get used to that. Every other summer, you have operations. Every time you hear missiles are coming to the south. You hear about people that got killed and you have to deal with it. At some point in Israel, you get used to it. That’s life,” Garzon tells the Washington Post.
“But since Oct. 7 happened, I suddenly understood how much it [shouldn’t be normal] and how scary it is being away from home and having everything happening in Israel. So I used my platforms as much as I could to do something and raise the awareness and, in my little world, try to still do something for Israel and for the hostages and for our people.”
Despite the distance and the strain, Garzon is focused on Maryland’s championship aspirations and on developing the consistency that could propel her toward a future WNBA career.
“I wanted to stay in the Big Ten. I really like this league,” Garzon says. “I think it’s one of the best leagues in the country.”
Credit@Alex Flum/Instagram
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