First-Ever Israeli Player Chosen for NBA All-Star Team

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija just made history, becoming the first Israeli player to be selected as an NBA All-Star. Avdija, 25, averaged 26 points, 7.1 rebounds, and six assists for the month of January when he was nominated for Western Conference Player of the Month. This has been a breakout season for Avdija – as of February 3, he averaged 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.

“I worked hard, I play hard. I don’t want to say I deserve it, but I do respect me and my game, and I’m really happy to be an All-Star,” he told reporters in Portland.

He said he could not have made it without his teammates and added that “the whole state of Israel for real is standing behind me.”

Avdija, who hails from a kibbutz called Beit Zera in northern Israel, was drafted by the Washington Wizards in 2020 as the ninth pick overall. The 6’8” player, who weighs about 228 pounds and is nicknamed “Turbo,” previously starred for Maccabi Tel Aviv and was the Israeli Premier League MVP in the 2019-20 season – the third year in a row he helped his team win the championship. In December, Avdija became the highest NBA scorer from Israel, surpassing Omri Casspi, who tallied 4,642 points while playing for several teams, including the Kings and the Grizzlies. Casspi was not considered a star and averaged 7.9 points per game.

In June of 2024, the Wizards traded Avdija to the Trail Blazers for Malcom Brogdon and several draft picks. Avdija began as a role player whose main strength was defense, but he has developed a strong offensive game, handling the ball well for a big man, showing some flashy passing ability, finishing well around the basket, and showing range from behind the arc, shooting 35.6 percent from three-point range.

LeBron James has praised Avdija, calling him a “big-time player” and a “physical driver to the rim.”

Avdija scored 41 points and grabbed six rebounds on January 8, and scored 32 points while grabbing 15 rebounds and snagging 10 assists in a win against the Hawks back in April.

This is the first time the NBA All-Star Game will feature three teams – two American and one international – playing round-robin. Avdija, selected as a reserve for the Western Conference, will play on the “World” team and be joined by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Jamal Murray, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The game will take place on Sunday, February 15 at the Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers, and air on NBC/Peacock.

In an interview with The Athletic, Avdija said he should be judged by his game – not where he’s from or anything else.

“I’m proud of where I’m from. But everything else that gets dragged into it is unnecessary,” he said. “I’m a professional athlete – that’s what I do. I work hard, compete, and I try to help my team win. But instead of talking about basketball, people turn everything into politics.”

Drafted into the IDF, he did not have a combat role but rather the status of “exceptional athlete” representing Israel as a player for the NBA in the U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted online about the NBA star: “Every time you step onto the court, our country shines with pride.”

The 25-year-old, who is earning $14.4 million this year, is the fourth Israeli player to make the NBA, after Casspi, Gal Mekel, and T.J. Leaf. The Trail Blazers are 23-27. He has a good shot at winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award. His scoring average per 36 minutes jumped from 20.3 last season to 26.5 so far this season.

In a 2023 appearance on the podcast of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who has also played in the NBA, Avdija explained that he was in Israel when he was drafted, as there was no customary ceremony due to Covid. He said he saw the draft announcement at 4 a.m. and was excited to be picked. “It was the peak of my life,” he recalled saying at the time.

“Sometimes I miss home,” he admitted, adding that he grew up next to the beach and he came with no friends or family.

When he was a rookie for the Wizards, his house got robbed while he was sleeping, and his Mercedes was stolen as well. He also got injured and missed out on the playoffs that season.

But he said his mother told him that “everything happens for a reason.” His father, Zufer, was a Serbian-Israeli pro basketball player.

Avdija said he felt pressure in his first year as the only Israeli player, like he was under the microscope, but he got used to it and learned to use it as an advantage. He also said something at the time that has now come true: “I want to be an All-Star. I have dreams for myself, and I know my country’s behind me.”