Deni Avdija has made history as the first Israeli basketball player to be named an NBA All-Star.
As a result, the 25-year-old will have the privilege of playing in the NBA’s All-Star Game, the competition’s annual marquee event, which has been watched by around five million US viewers in each of the last three years.
Nicknamed ‘Turbo’ for his aggressive drive from the small forward position, Avdija is having a stellar season by virtually every metric, averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Speaking to the media about his historic feat, Avdija said: “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 that I’m able to be an All-Star”.
Avdija finished in fifth place in the fan ballot for the Western Conference, ahead of basketball legends like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, backed by fervent support from a passionate Israeli fanbase.
“The whole state of Israel is just standing behind me, for real”, Avdija said.
He continued by thanking his teammates who have helped him to hit his spectacular form.
“My teammates have been awesome”, he said. “Coaches [too]… it’s a team sport at the end of the day. You can be as good as you want, but you need your teammates to be there”.
The starters in the event are chosen by a combination of fan polling, media picks, and current player votes. Overall, Avdija finished seventh in the Western Conference voting.
The 12 players selected from each of the Eastern and Western conferences are then split into three teams of eight: two from the USA player pool, and one from the rest of the world.
Avdija will feature as one of the World team’s eight players, alongside other significant overseas stars including Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, and Luka Dončić.
Avdija, who stands at six feet and eight inches tall, grew up on kibbutz Beit Zara in Israel, playing in the youth ranks of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club, before being drafted into the NBA at the age of 19 by the Washington Wizards.
He is the son of former Serbian-Gorani basketballer Zufer Avdija, who played for a decade for Belgrade-based Crvena Zvezda.
This year’s NBA All-Star Weekend will take place in California between 13-15 February.
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