Israeli sports history: Deni Avdija becomes first Israeli chosen for NBA All-Star Game, continuing rise to stardom

Israeli basketball star Deni Avdija (25) made sports history on Sunday, becoming the first Israeli player chosen to participate in the prestigious NBA All-Star Game, which will be held on Feb. 15 in Los Angeles.

Avdija’s selection for the All-Star game cements his status as the best Israeli basketball player in the country’s history, following a meteoric rise.

"I'm proud. I remember the journey, I came a long way," he said on Sunday. Selected in the 9th spot by the Washington Wizards in the 2020 NBA Draft, the highest ever for an Israeli player, Avdija played four solid but slightly underwhelming seasons in the capital.

But in the summer of 2024, he was traded to Oregon's Portland Trail Blazers and after an impressive first season, his play has skyrocketed this season.

DENI AVDIJA. ALL-STAR. pic.twitter.com/5wbyh2pMhR

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 1, 2026

He is now posting career-best statistics across the board, ranking 14th in the NBA with 25.5 points (46.7% FG, 35.6% from three), in addition to 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.

Later on Sunday, Avdija posted a picture of himself as a small child with his parents, writing, "Couldn't do it without you." His father, Zufer Avdija, is a Serbian-born professional basketball coach and former player, while his mother, Sharon Artzi, is a former Israeli athlete.

Avdija’s spectacular play even earned him a Top-5 finish in the fan vote, which comprises 50% of the total votes for the All-Star Game’s starting five. He even beat some of the league’s legends, including LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as well as fellow rising stars like Anthony Edwards, narrowly missing out on a starting spot.

However, his participation in the prestigious game highlights Avdija’s rise to bona fide stardom, especially as he earned the nomination not just with fan votes but via support from fellow players, coaches, and the media.

Deni Avdija on the emotions and pride of his first All-Star appearance 🥹 https://t.co/j3Q1iw1Wgu pic.twitter.com/k4xLsyeuzg

— NBA (@NBA) February 2, 2026

The 2026 All-Star game will feature a new format, with two teams of American players and one international squad, known as Team World, competing in a tournament of three 12-minute games.

Avdija will play in the international team alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Luka Dončić (Slovenia), Victor Wembanyama (France), Nikola Jokić (Serbia), Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) and Jamal Murray (Canada).

Until Avdija, Israel’s most successful player in the world’s premier basketball league had been Omri Casspi, who played for the Sacramento Kings, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Golden State Warriors, and the Memphis Grizzlies over a period of ten years.

Despite his long and consistent play in the league, Casspi mostly came off the bench as a role player, a far cry from Avdija’s role as Portland’s face of the franchise, being the team’s leading scorer and assist giver and second-best rebounder.

At the start of January, Avdija was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week after Portland won three out of four games with the Israeli averaging 26.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game.