Steve Schlachter (born February 18, 1954) is an American-Israeli former professional basketball player. Known for his career primarily in Israel, he was a prominent figure in the Israeli Basketball Premier League during the late 1970s and 1980s.
Early Life and College Career Born in New York City, Schlachter played college basketball at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) from 1972 to 1976. During his time at UMass, he was a teammate of future NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving for a portion of his collegiate career. Schlachter was a strong rebounder and scorer, contributing significantly to the UMass Minutemen.
Professional Career After his college career, Schlachter was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the ninth round (151st overall) of the 1976 NBA draft but did not play in the NBA. Instead, he embarked on a successful career in Israel. He played for several top Israeli clubs, including:
- Hapoel Gan Shmuel (1976–1981): He quickly established himself as a dominant player in the league.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv (1981–1983): This was a highlight of his career, as he was part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv team that won the FIBA European Champions Cup (now EuroLeague) in the 1980-81 season (though he joined after that particular win, he won the Israeli League and Cup with them and played in later EuroLeague campaigns).
- Hapoel Ramat Gan (1983–1984)
- Hapoel Holon (1984–1985)
- Hapoel Afula (1985–1986)
Schlachter was known for his scoring ability and particularly for his rebounding prowess, consistently ranking among the league leaders. He became a naturalized Israeli citizen during his career.
International Competition Schlachter represented the United States at the Maccabiah Games, an international Jewish multi-sport event held in Israel. He won a silver medal with the U.S. national team at the 1973 Maccabiah Games and a gold medal at the 1977 Maccabiah Games.
Post-Playing Career Following his retirement from professional basketball, Steve Schlachter transitioned into a career as a sports agent, continuing his involvement in the world of basketball.