Florida coach Billy Donovan: G Nimrod Tishman granted NCAA clearance to play this season

Florida’s Donovan: NCAA clears Tishman to play

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Israeli guard Nimrod Tishman is eligible to play for Florida.

Coach Billy Donovan says the NCAA cleared Tishman, a 6-foot-5 freshman from Tel Aviv, Israel, this week. He already had been cleared to practice.

Tishman averaged 18.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists at the Under-18 European Championships in France this summer. He also played for the club team Maccabi-Tel Aviv during high school.

Donovan has low expectations for Tishman this season, though, saying he will play behind guards Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton and Ray Shipman.

Donovan started recruiting Tishman after Nick Calathes announced in March he would forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA draft. Calathes is playing with Euroleague team Panathinaikos based in Greece.