Deni Avdija

Deni Avdija was born in 2001 on Kibbutz Beit Zera in northern Israel, the product of a household that blended two distinct athletic and cultural traditions.[1] His mother, Sharon Artzi, was raised on the kibbutz and was a champion runner in Israeli athletics.[1] His father, Zufer Avdija, was born in Pristina and is of Gorani background; he played basketball for Yugoslavia and later for Israeli clubs, eventually settling in Israel.[1][2]

Avdija joined Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth ranks in 2013.[2] He has spoken about approaching the sport without a predetermined destination: "I started playing basketball without a dream and just pursued it to see where it would take me. It's emotional for me, for sure."[3]

In 2017, at 16 years old, Avdija became the youngest player ever to appear for Maccabi Tel Aviv's senior team while also competing with the club's under-20 squad.[1] One account credits him with leading the under-20 team to four consecutive championships, while another records three consecutive Israeli youth state championships from 2017 through 2019.[1][2]

At the senior level, Avdija helped Maccabi Tel Aviv capture three domestic Israeli league titles during his time with the club from 2017 to 2020.[4][5] In his final Israeli season, at age 19, he was named the Israeli League's Most Valuable Player—the youngest player ever to receive that distinction.[4] On the international stage, he helped Israel win consecutive FIBA Under-20 European Championships in 2018 and 2019, earning tournament MVP honors in 2019.[4][5]

In April 2020, Avdija enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces to fulfill his mandatory military service.[6] Designated an "Exceptional Athlete," he was expected to complete his service obligations while based in North America; his initial enlistment had been delayed by his commitments to Maccabi Tel Aviv and EuroLeague competition.[6]

The Washington Wizards selected Avdija ninth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, making him the first Israeli player taken in the top ten of the draft.[7] He was also identified at the time as the third Israeli to play in the NBA, following Omri Casspi and Gal Mekel.[7] Standing 6 feet 9 inches, he was characterized as a versatile, playmaking forward whose selection marked the highest draft position achieved by an Israeli player.[8] Upon being drafted, Avdija reflected on what the moment might mean for younger Israeli players: "I'm just glad they have somebody to look at and learn (from)—and just be motivated to see that us being a small country doesn't mean that we can't do big things."[7]

Avdija made his NBA debut in December 2020 against the Philadelphia 76ers, playing 28 minutes and scoring seven points in a 113–107 defeat.[8] He spent four seasons with Washington before being traded to Portland.[9]

The trade was completed on July 6, 2024, in a deal that sent guard Malcolm Brogdon, young guard Bub Carrington, and multiple draft selections to Washington.[9]

Avdija's first season with the Portland Trail Blazers saw him emerge as one of the NBA's most improved players. He averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game—a significant increase over his Washington production.[9] Among the individual highlights of that season, Avdija became the first Israeli NBA player to record a triple-double, posting 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.[10] He also surpassed Omri Casspi's Israeli NBA scoring record of 4,642 career points, reaching 4,648 points after a 35-point performance against Detroit.[9]

His development continued into the 2025–26 season, when reporting identified him as Portland's leading scorer and listed averages of 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.[1] He recorded three triple-doubles in the first half of the season and was described as a front-runner for the NBA's Most Improved Player award.[1] In a play-in victory over Phoenix, Avdija scored 41 points and added 12 assists, converting a decisive three-point play with 16.1 seconds remaining as Portland overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 112–110 and secure the Western Conference's seventh seed.[2]

In February 2026, Avdija became the first Israeli player selected to an NBA All-Star Game and subsequently the first to participate in one.[2][11] Chosen as a Western Conference reserve, he had received more than 2.2 million fan votes and finished seventh in Western Conference voting, ahead of LeBron James and Kevin Durant.[3] The Israeli government page records that his historic All-Star appearance took place on February 15, 2026.[11]

Beyond his club career, Avdija serves as captain of Israel's senior national basketball team.[5]

His pride in Israeli identity has been visible throughout his NBA career. He has drawn Stars of David on his shoes, spoken at the Washington Wizards' Jewish Heritage Night, and celebrated Hanukkah with teammates.[5] Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, Avdija remained on the court after a game with an Israeli flag draped around him while fans sang "Hatikvah."[5] He spoke publicly about calling home regularly, praying for Israelis, and hoping for the return of those taken hostage.[12] "I try to stay focused on basketball," he said, "but I stand for Israel because it is the country where I was born and raised."[12]

At Maccabi Tel Aviv, Avdija became the club's youngest senior debutant and the youngest Israeli League MVP; in 2020, he became the first Israeli selected in the top ten of the NBA draft.[1][7] With Portland, he recorded the first triple-double by an Israeli NBA player and later surpassed the Israeli NBA career-scoring record.[10][9]

His 2026 All-Star appearance made him the first Israeli to play in the event.[11] Reporting on his rise has described it as a source of national pride, while a profile of his play-in performance said his success could broaden the horizons of future Israeli and Jewish basketball prospects.[5][2]