Basketball star Deni Avdija was selected on Sunday for the NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first Israeli player ever to participate in the event.
Avdija, 25, was not named to the All-Star starting lineup despite finishing fifth among Western Conference players in the fan vote with 2,202,605 votes, ahead of players including LeBron James and Kevin Durant. He was chosen as a reserve by the league’s coaches.
Reacting to the announcement, Avdija said in an interview: “It was great. Being in the room with people, people that love you, and obviously I couldn’t do it without my teammates and coaches, and the whole crew that’s been with me this season – it’s been amazing.”
He added that while the honor was meaningful, his focus remains on the season ahead: “There’s a long season to go. I gotta focus on the team and see how we get better as a group, but definitely it’s an individual accolade that’s amazing, and hopefully more to come.”
Reflecting on his journey, he said, “I’m proud. I came a long way. You know, I wasn’t in the easiest situations throughout my career. It’s just emotional for me.”
Amos Frishman, chairman of the Israeli Basketball Association, said that it was “a night of enormous pride for Israeli basketball.”
“Deni Avdija continues to break barrier after barrier. His outstanding NBA season is further proof that anything is possible with hard work,” he added. “Deni is an ambassador for Israeli basketball and for the State of Israel, and today he stands alongside the greatest players in the world with his selection to the NBA All-Star Game.”
Following the announcement, Avdija uploaded an Instagram story featuring a photo of him as a child with his parents, writing, “Couldn’t do it without you.”
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Screecap from Deni Avdija’s Instagram story, showing him as a child with his parents. Credit: Screecap from Deni Avdija’s Instagram
Screecap from Deni Avdija’s Instagram story, showing him as a child with his parents. Credit: Screecap from Deni Avdija’s Instagram
The Portland Trail Blazers forward is enjoying the best season of his NBA career. Earlier this month, he was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time.
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Now in his sixth NBA season, Avdija has been a key factor for the Trail Blazers, averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, and he has helped lead the Portland Trail Blazers to ninth place in the Western Conference with a 26–23 record.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will take place on February 15 in California. This year’s event will feature a revised format, with one team of international players and two teams of American players. Each game will be played over 12 minutes, with the top two teams advancing to the final.
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In 2021, as part of the All-Star weekend, Avdija was named to the Rising Stars Challenge featuring the top 20 first and second-year players, though that game was ultimately nixed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Omri Casspi was chosen to take part in the same game during his rookie season in 2010.
In December, Avdija became Israel’s all-time leading scorer in the NBA, surpassing Casspi, who played in the league for a decade.
Avdija is in his second season with Portland, having spent the first four years in the league with the Washington Wizards after being chosen ninth in the 2020 draft. Before that, he played for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv, leading the team to a domestic championship in 2020 while winning the MVP award.
Ben Kroll contributed to this report.