A star is born: Israeli NBA star Avdija leads Lebron James in All-Star fan voting

In his sixth season in the NBA, Israel’s basketball star Deni Avdija has soared to new heights and is now about to be nominated to his first All-Star game, cementing his status as one of the premier players in the world’s best basketball league.

Every year, fans vote for their favorite players who will be named starters in the All-Star Game. This week, the NBA released interim results, showing that Deni Avdija is ranked seventh in the Western Conference after receiving 606,299 votes.

This puts him in front of all-time greats and fan favorites like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and James Harden, showing that Avdija is coming into his own and receiving recognition as one of the best players on the planet.

Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their conferences in the first fan returns in NBA All-Star Voting 2026.

Fans (50% of the vote) join NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%) in selecting five players in each conference honored as starters.

Next fan update: 1/6. pic.twitter.com/pHykl9yhTE

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 29, 2025

If the 24-year-old Avdija finishes in the top five, he would likely be guaranteed a spot in the All-Star Game, becoming the first Israeli to do so.

The public recognition of Avdija’s talent has been a rare bright spot for Israelis, as the country and many of its representatives abroad in sport, culture and other areas have been met with hostility and criticism over the government’s policies during the Gaza War.

The ten All-Star starters will be selected via voting by the fans, NBA players, and media, and compete in this year’s revamped USA-versus-World format, with the game being scheduled for Feb. 15 in Los Angeles.

Avdija was drafted by the Washington Wizards after beginning his professional career at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In the U.S. capital, he saw gradual improvement over four years but was hampered by the perennial chaos of the franchise.

After being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, he began showing his true potential, posting career-best averages with almost 17 points, four assists, seven rebounds, plus half a block and a steal per game in his first season there.

Deni Avdija this season:

25.5 PPG (career-high)
7.1 RPG
6.8 APG (career-high)

The first Blazer since Clyde to average 25/5/5 in a season. pic.twitter.com/QZX5pBP4cM

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 29, 2025

However, Avdija has improved by leaps and bounds this year. He is now 15th in the list of top scorers with just over 25 points per game, plus seven rebounds and almost seven assists.

He even put up two rare triple-doubles (double-digits in three statistical categories) in November, and garnered attention for several highlights displaying his athleticism and playmaking skills.

According to betting odds, Avdija is currently the leading favorite to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

You can vote for Israel’s rising basketball star to become a starter on the All-Star Game here.