NBA
DA
#8

Deni Avdija

Forward · Portland Trail Blazers · 6'8", 228 lb · Born Jan 3, 2001 · Beit Zera, Israel · Drafted 9th overall, 2020
All-Star (2026)🇮🇱 IsraelPoint-forwardTurbo
NBAPortland Trail BlazersForwards
Compare:vs Lillardvs Clinganvs Grantvs Holidayvs Murrayvs Henderson
In short

Deni Avdija is a versatile 6-foot-8 Israeli point-forward for the Portland Trail Blazers and a 2026 All-Star — the first player of Israeli descent to be named an All-Star. Drafted 9th in 2020 by Washington and traded to Portland in 2024, 'Turbo' broke out as an all-around hub — a playmaker, rebounder, and improved shooter with 40-point games and a triple-double.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceWed, Nov 11
vsSacramento KingsDrop coverage
Proj. points
24.2
range 20.5–27.9
Line 24
52%
to go over
Team win
67%
114–111
Poi 24.2 Lean overReb 6.9 Lean underAss 6.7 Lean overPRA 37.7 Lean under
Likely on himDe'Andre Hunter· 74 Perimeter DSolid defender
20+ pts85%25+ pts42%30+ pts8%

Model lines Avdija at 24.2 pts (range 20.5–27.9) vs a 24 line — a lean to clear it (52%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Avdija
The Avdija Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A versatile point-forward and 2026 All-Star — playmaking, rebounding, and driving for the Blazers.

The youngest Israeli League MVP with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Avdija was drafted 9th in 2020 by Washington.

🇮🇱 Maccabi · 9th, 2020Beit Zera

Traded to Portland in 2024, he broke out as a versatile point-forward.

Traded to PORPoint-forward

He made his first All-Star team in 2026 — the first player of Israeli descent to do so.

All-Star 2026Historic first

A downhill driver, he's posted 40-point games and a triple-double.

43-pt game16.9 ppg
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
24.2
2025-26
RPG
6.9
per game
APG
6.7
per game
FG%
.462
.318 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A versatile point-forward and 2026 All-Star — playmaking, rebounding, and driving for the Blazers, 'Turbo.'

Deni Avdija was born on the Beit Zera kibbutz in Israel and became the youngest Israeli League MVP with Maccabi Tel Aviv — a three-time Israeli champion — before Washington drafted him 9th in 2020. He developed his shooting over four seasons before a July 2024 trade to Portland.

He broke out as a versatile point-forward and made his first All-Star team in 2026 — the first player of Israeli descent to do so. A 6-foot-8 forward who handles, passes, rebounds, and has improved his shooting, 'Turbo' drives aggressively downhill and has posted 40-point games and a triple-double as Portland's rising all-around hub.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Avdija is a source of national pride in Israel — born on a kibbutz to a former Yugoslav national-team player father (of Gorani heritage) and an Israeli athlete mother, he observes Yom Kippur, was drafted into the IDF as an 'Exceptional Athlete,' and learned English through video games and TV. In 2025 he launched a 'Turbo' protein ice cream brand, and his 2026 All-Star nod made history.

His on-court identity is versatile, aggressive point-forward play — a 6-foot-8 forward who drives downhill ('Turbo'), passes and rebounds at a high level, and has developed his three-point shot. His steep rise — from a role player in Washington to a nearly 17-point All-Star hub in Portland — reflects genuine all-around growth into a franchise building block.

PERSONALITY

The person

A versatile, aggressive point-forward — downhill driving, playmaking, rebounding, and shooting.

Point-forwardA 6-foot-8 hub who handles, passes, and rebounds.
TurboAggressive downhill driving is his calling card.
All-StarFirst player of Israeli descent to be an All-Star (2026).
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Point-Forward · Offensive Engine
Temperament
Alpha
Leadership
72/100
Scoring88
Playmaking67
Rebounding67
Perimeter D74
Rim protection48
Spacing57
Athleticism78
Clutch83
Point-forward playmakingDownhill scoringAll-Star
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Versatile point-forward hub

Avdija's value is all-around versatility — a 6-foot-8 forward who drives aggressively downhill, passes and rebounds at a high level (a triple-double to his name), and has improved his three-point shot to a reliable clip. That point-forward profile made him a nearly 17-point-a-game hub in Portland and a 2026 All-Star, a genuine franchise building block.

A steep, real rise

His trajectory — from a role player in Washington to an All-Star hub in Portland — reflects genuine all-around growth, capped by 40-point games and a triple-double. His scoring, playmaking, and rebounding give Portland a versatile centerpiece; continued shooting and efficiency gains would push him toward a perennial All-Star ceiling.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266633.324.26.96.7.462.318

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

EuropeYoungest Israeli League MVP and a three-time champion with Maccabi Tel Aviv
2026First player of Israeli descent to be named an NBA All-Star
PortlandA 43-point game and a triple-double as a versatile point-forward

Hardware

1×
NBA All-Star (2026)
1×
Israeli League MVP (2020)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A versatile, ascending point-forward and All-Star — Portland's all-around hub.

Avdija's steep rise — from a Washington role player to a nearly 17-point All-Star hub in Portland — marks him as a franchise building block. A 6-foot-8 point-forward who drives, passes, rebounds, and shoots, his all-around game and 2026 All-Star nod point toward a central, rising role for the Blazers.

Playmaking / versatilityElite
ReboundingStrong
Driving / scoringStrong
Three-point shootingImproving

Contract

Role
Point-forward hub
Peak
All-Star 2026 rising
Age
25 prime
Bottom line

A versatile 6-foot-8 point-forward and history-making 2026 All-Star — an all-around hub whose steep rise makes him a franchise building block for Portland.

FAQ

Quick answers

What is Deni Avdija known for?

Versatile point-forward play — a 6-foot-8 forward who drives aggressively downhill ('Turbo'), passes, rebounds, and shoots, and became the first player of Israeli descent to be an All-Star in 2026.

Where is Deni Avdija from?

Beit Zera, a kibbutz in Israel; he starred for Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he was the youngest Israeli League MVP.

How did Deni Avdija join the Blazers?

Washington drafted him 9th in 2020 and traded him to Portland in July 2024, where he broke out as an All-Star.