Israeli NBA player Omri Casspi is returning home to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv as it becomes more and more likely there will not be a 2011-12 NBA season.

Casspi announced on his Facebook that he signed a contract with the club, saying the deal would begin in January. By then, Casspi said, he will know for sure whether or not the NBA season had been canceled due to the lockout.

"I am overjoyed to return home to the club of my youth. I am so excited to come home, to the best family and fans in the world,” Casspi wrote.

Casspi is the first Israeli player to ever play in the NBA. He now joins a growing list of NBA players who have chosen to play overseas until the lockout ends, including all-stars Deron Williams and Tony Parker.

Fellow Jewish NBA player Jordan Farmer signed with Maccabi earlier this off-season and has been playing for the club for several weeks.