Credit: Jewish Link

By Jack Borok

In an NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles filled with stars and highlight moments, none shined as bright as first time Israeli NBA All-Star Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers.

This year was the perfect year for Deni to make his All-Star game debut, as for the first time ever, the game had a Team USA vs. Team World tournament format. This allowed Avdija to compete for Team World while proudly displaying the Israeli flag on his jersey.

Avdija recorded 5 points and 4 assists in Team World’s two games against, including a deep three-pointer and a slam dunk. Commenting on his first All-Star experience, Avdija said “It was hectic, but it was fun. I was really enjoying the experience. Especially when it’s your first time, you embrace everything a little better. But I hope I can be here for many years to come.”

Deni also caught the attention of fellow All-Star and future Hall of Famer LeBron James. James said Avdija was an exceptional basketball player, and also shared that he has heard great things about Israel and hopes to visit one day. 

This year, Avdija made the All-Star game for the first time in his career, becoming the first Israeli ever to do so. He is averaging career highs in points per game (25.2) and assists per game (6.6), and is currently leading Portland to the 9th seed in the Western Conference, putting them in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021. He will look to continue his success down the stretch and become the first Israeli to make the NBA Playoffs since T.J. Leaf in 2018.

We wish a big Mazel Tov to Deni on all of his success at NBA All-Star weekend and thank him for continuing to be a beacon of inspiration for Jewish and Israeli athletes across the world.