Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles between Javonte Green #4 and CJ McCollum #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Deni Avdija is thriving in his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers and is eager to carry that momentum into national team competition with Israel at EuroBasket 2025.
Avdija, acquired by Portland in an offseason trade, has carved out a key role for the Trail Blazers. Through 31 games, he is averaging 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His standout performance against the Dallas Mavericks saw him score 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting, grab eight rebounds and dish out six assists, with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter to help clinch the victory.
“I feel like I'm being more aggressive and consistent in my shooting and driving, finishing around the rim, and just playing hard and competing,” Avdija told RG. “As I mature, I have more experience knowing when to make the right play, passing, and everything.”
Portland acquired Avdija by trading Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which became Carlton Carrington, a 2029 first-round selection, and second-round picks in 2028 and 2030. He began the season as the starting small forward but transitioned to a bench role as Toumani Camara emerged as the starter.
For Avdija, he sees a lot of growth potential to reach even greater heights for himself and his team. His primary goal is to contribute to a strong degree of collective success, but he understands part of that comes with him continuing to improve his shot, his body, and the impact he makes as a leader.
“I have a lot of room to grow, but I feel like it's the same for everybody," Avdija told RG. "For me specifically, it's about keeping making the right plays, building every day, improving my shot, improving my body and growing as a teammate. I want to make better decisions and ensure everyone is playing well and successfully. That's about it."
Representing Israel at EuroBasket 2025
After the NBA season, Avdija looks forward to representing Israel at EuroBasket 2025. The national team secured qualification with back-to-back victories over Ukraine in November. Those wins guaranteed Israel’s spot at the tournament, allowing head coach Ariel Beit Halachmi to shift his attention toward assembling the squad for the summer competition. Israel’s final two qualifiers against Portugal and Slovenia in February will now serve as tune-ups.
“I was definitely watching them in the times I had. I'm so proud,” Avdija said.
“We look very good. We have a lot of great, talented players. I feel like we're young, we're exciting, we have a great coach that leads us, and I'm so excited this summer to compete.”
For Avdija, representing Israel holds special significance.
“I feel like representing the flag of Israel – with everything that Israel is going through, like my home, my hometown – this is the best way to put us on the map and make sure we compete for our jersey and for our flag,” Avdija said. “This is the best feeling you can ever imagine.”
Avdija’s journey to this point began in his hometown of Herzliya, where he started playing basketball in the fourth grade for Bnei Herzliya Basket. He joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2013 and made his senior team debut in 2017 at age 16, becoming the youngest player in club history. By 2019, he was the youngest MVP in Israeli Basketball Premier League history, leading Maccabi to a championship.
In 2020, Avdija declared for the NBA Draft and was selected by the Washington Wizards. He has won two gold medals for Israel at the youth level on the international stage, including MVP honors at the 2019 FIBA U20 European Championship.
Avdija credits his experience competing in Israel in his youth and in FIBA competitions for shaping his development.
As Avdija continues to develop with the Trail Blazers, he is focused on refining his overall game, contributing to Portland’s success, and preparing to lead Israel internationally.
Grant Afseth
