{"id":605864,"date":"2026-02-16T06:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T06:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/605864\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T06:43:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T06:43:18","slug":"blazers-deni-avdija-ends-unlikely-journey-with-long-weekend-at-historic-all-star-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/605864\/","title":{"rendered":"Blazers\u2019 Deni Avdija ends unlikely journey with \u2018long weekend\u2019 at historic All-Star game"},"content":{"rendered":"

INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2014 It had been an emotional and busy weekend filled with basketball, media obligations and fan events, but after finishing his All-Star debut with a pair of narrow defeats, Deni Avdija<\/a> had just one last responsibility.<\/p>\n

A postgame interview session. <\/p>\n

There was just one problem. San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama<\/a> was sitting at the dais in front of a microphone, delaying Avdija\u2019s session. <\/p>\n

So the Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> forward plopped down on the floor near the doorway of the interview room, still draped in his white No. 8 World Team uniform, and took a break.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long weekend,\u201d Avdija said, smiling. <\/p>\n

Long and memorable. <\/p>\n

Avdija\u2019s breakout season reached its highest peak yet Sunday when he participated in his first All-Star game. The 6-foot-8 forward started two matchups in the new round-robin format, which featured three teams, condensed 12-minute games and a mini tournament at Intuit Dome. And while it was hardly his most jaw-dropping performance \u2014 Avdija finished with a modest five points, four assists and one rebound in 15 minutes \u2014 it stamped his arrival as one of the game\u2019s best and brightest young players.<\/p>\n

His ascension has been both improbable and precipitous, coming after an unremarkable stint with the Washington Wizards, a rough launch in Portland and years of growing pains. But much like his nickname, \u201cTurbo\u201d<\/a> has blasted his way inside the NBA\u2019s elite with a dynamic and dominant sixth season, during which he\u2019s averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists and recorded three triple-doubles. Only two other players \u2014 two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and six-time All-Star Luka Doncic \u2014 are averaging at least 25.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds this season.<\/p>\n

Along the way, Avdija has established himself as a pillar of the Blazers\u2019 multiyear roster rebuild, giving the burgeoning roster a bona fide star. He is the 17th All-Star in franchise history and the first not named Damian Lillard<\/a> since 2015. He\u2019s also the first-ever Israeli-born All-Star in the 75-year history of the event, a fitting footnote in a year the game featured a team comprised exclusively of international players for the first time.<\/p>\n

So as he stepped into history this weekend, Avdija not only represented a sleepy basketball-crazed city in the Northwest, but also a small country across the globe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have definitely worked hard, sacrificed a lot of my time to get to the best stage in the world,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I feel like this is a dream come true for every kid that actually wants to play basketball. Having a whole country behind me, it\u2019s just a blessing to represent it on the biggest stage in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NBALOS ANGELES, CA – FEB 14: Deni Avdija speaks during the Media Day event at Intuit Dome, Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, United States on February 14, 2026. (Photo by Jon Putman\/Anadolu via Getty Images)Anadolu via Getty ImagesBasketball wasn\u2019t a given<\/p>\n

Avdija grew up in Herzliya, a town situated about 20 minutes north of Tel Aviv known for its white sandy beaches and trendy restaurants.<\/p>\n

His mother, Sharon Artzi, is an Israeli who excelled in track and field. His father, Zufer Avdija, grew up in former Yugoslavia before carving out a distinguished professional basketball career in Europe. <\/p>\n

But Avdija did not immediately follow in his father\u2019s footsteps.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t particularly tall as a kid and, he says, \u201cI was a little chubby.\u201d Eventually, at his parent\u2019s urging, Avdija gave basketball a shot and he was a natural, using his \u201cgood instincts and good feet\u201d to emerge as a prodigy on the Israeli youth basketball scene. At age 15, Avdija finally hit a growth spurt. And a year later, he signed a professional contract with prestigious Israeli club team Maccabi Tel Aviv, becoming the second-youngest player to do so.<\/p>\n

It was a difficult transition for the teenager. Avdija not only missed six months with a back injury, which he says stemmed from growing pains related to that growth spurt, but also found himself surrounded by new teammates who were grown men in their 20s and 30s. He technically continued to attend high school, but in reality he spent very little time there over his final two years. Basketball practices took place during the day and he was hyper-focused on the sport. <\/p>\n

Along the way, Avdija didn\u2019t just miss classes, he also missed out on the high school experience, including dances and prom. He left without earning a diploma. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously you want to be a kid and grow up and enjoy the journey,\u201d Avdija said. \u201cBut you have to make some sacrifices to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n

He found ways to adapt. For example, he learned English by watching Nickelodeon sitcoms, which aired in Israel with subtitles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watched all the classics,\u201d Avdija said. \u201cLike Drake and Josh. iCarly. Victorious. You name it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TrailPortland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija sits on the floor outside the interview room after participating in NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Joe Freeman, The Oregonian\/OregonLive)Joe Freeman, The Oregonian\/OregonLive<\/p>\n

In the end, his otherworldly talent was enough to smooth out the bumpy transition. He led Israel to back-to-back gold medals at the FIBA U20 European Championships, earning an MVP award on the way to the second title, and flourished in EuroLeague tournaments, elevating Israel\u2019s national team and generating NBA draft buzz. The Washington Wizards selected him with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft. <\/p>\n

Nine years after watching those Nickelodeon sitcoms, Avdija had Israeli eyeballs glued to television screens for a different broadcast: NBA All-Star Weekend.<\/p>\n

As Avdija\u2019s star has risen, he has become a must-see attraction in his home country. <\/p>\n

Israel is small, boasting a population of roughly 10 million, but it has a passionate sports culture. Yair Kattan, deputy sports editor at the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper in Tel Aviv, said news of Avdija\u2019s All-Star selection flooded home pages of web sites and front pages of newspapers, and landed at the top of local television broadcasts, a rare feat in a country flooded with daily news about politics and military conflict.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unprecedented,\u201d Kattan said. \u201cWe are mad about sports, but not very good at it. Avdija is a wild fantasy come true, a top player in a top league. He\u2019s way beyond just popular.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hungry Israeli sports fans gobble up every nugget of information they can get their hands on, Kattan said, devouring Avdija\u2019s highlights, statistics and interviews on social media. When the Blazers acquired Avdija in a trade from Washington, it was a welcomed development across the globe because it meant that Israeli fans could rise early before work to watch his games, which now typically tip off at 5 a.m. \u2014 instead of 2 a.m. \u2014 in Israel.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything (about) Avdija catches fire,\u201d Kattan said. \u201cPeople also strive to travel to the States to watch him live and there was high demand for tourist packages for the All-Star game.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fervor has sparked an intriguing debate among Israeli sports fans, who can\u2019t help but wonder whether Avdija\u2019s ascension has cemented him as the best athlete in the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

The candidates, according to Kattan, include basketball legend Miki Berkovich, who was named one of FIBA\u2019s 50 Greatest Players in 1991, and a pair of decorated Olympic athletes \u2014 Gal Friedman, a windsurfer who won the country\u2019s first Olympic gold medal, and Artem Dolgopyat, a gymnast who owns an Olympic silver medal in the floor exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a bit torn,\u201d Kattan said. \u201cI think he will be the greatest, just not yet. He\u2019s definitely a phenomenon. We\u2019ve had some wonderful athletes, but they either reached the top in (less popular) sports or at the national level. Deni is a megastar in a world renowned league, and we\u2019ve never had that. He also serves as a source of pride in hard times.\u201d<\/p>\n

That he is even a part of the conversation is mind-blowing for Avdija.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really small country, very controversial, and every time that I play and I can represent it is an honor,\u201d he said. \u201cIt made me who I am. \u2026 I think I still have a long way to go. I\u2019ve reached some good, respectable milestones, but I feel like there\u2019s a whole (other) level that I can reach. I have never stopped chasing that. Obviously, I want to be the top of the top. I want to be the best. But I\u2019m still humble, I still have a lot of things I need to accomplish, so at the end of my career we can start to talk about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Avdija is only getting started in Portland.<\/p>\n

Portland becoming a second home<\/p>\n

It\u2019s harder to get farther away from the white sandy beaches of Herzliya \u2014 both in distance and atmosphere \u2014 than Portland. But Avdija has grown to adore his home away from home.<\/p>\n

He spends sunny offseason days lounging on his boat along Oswego Lake, fishing and relaxing. He spends off days visiting local wineries. And he spends nights out savoring Portland\u2019s \u201cdiverse\u201d food scene.<\/p>\n

He said he finds peace living among the \u201cnature\u201d of the Pacific Northwest, which he describes as \u201camazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the Blazers continue to rise and his game continues to grow, Avdija can\u2019t help but imagine a long future here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely want to amplify a good culture into the organization,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope I\u2019m going to stay in Portland. I love the city, the fans, and I think we\u2019re in a good spot. I\u2019m glad to be part of this rebuilding (effort) and I\u2019m really seeing a bright future.\u201d<\/p>\n

This bright future is largely tied to Avdija, of course. He has emerged as the most important piece of the Blazers\u2019 rebuild and the archetype for how they like to play: fast, physical, free and aggressive. He was largely constrained in Washington, where the Wizards primarily used him as an off-the-dribble shooter and long-range threat. But after a rocky start to his Portland tenure last season, Avdija flourished over the final two months of the season, averaging 24.9 points as the Blazers went 23-18.<\/p>\n

He has only built upon the success this season, taking advantage of Portland\u2019s myriad injuries and an expanded role to change his perception around the NBA. <\/p>\n

The Blazers have been so besieged by injuries that they were forced to play two months without a natural point guard. It left acting coach Tiago Splitter<\/a> no choice but to lean on \u201cTurbo,\u201d using Avdija in a point-forward role as the team\u2019s primary playmaker and facilitator. The results have been transformative. <\/p>\n

Avdija ranks among the top 16 players in the NBA in scoring (25.2 points per game) and assists (6.6), an increase of 8.3 points and 2.7 assists per game from his averages last season. In January, he became the 14th player in franchise history to be named Western Conference Player of the Week, and he\u2019s the frontrunner for the NBA\u2019s Most Improved Player award.<\/p>\n

All the while, an intrigued injured teammate has admired from the bench, imagining the possibilities of playing alongside him one day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been fun to watch, just to see Deni grow and evolve into the player that he\u2019s become to this point,\u201d Lillard, a nine-time All-Star who won Saturday\u2019s 3-Point Contest<\/a>, said. \u201cThis is the first time in my career \u2026 I\u2019m able to see practice every day without participating, I\u2019m able to watch games every day and I\u2019m not emotionally tied to the game. I\u2019ve spent a lot of time seeing how the dynamic, if I\u2019m on the floor with him, can go. He\u2019s been special.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it was a special week in Southern California. <\/p>\n

When Wembanyama finally stepped away from the dais, Avdija picked himself up off the floor and walked toward that microphone. <\/p>\n

He talked about representing Israel. He talked about his first All-Star game experience. He talked about the new format and the renewed competitiveness.<\/p>\n

Across the globe, a country watched for the first time as one of their own spoke for Israel on the NBA\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hectic, but it was fun,\u201d Avdija said. \u201cI was really enjoying the experience. Especially when it\u2019s your first time, you embrace everything a little better. But I hope I can be here for many years to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2014 It had been an emotional and busy weekend filled with basketball, media obligations and fan…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":605865,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3784],"tags":[79791,7,601,251,6,17402,687,471,3967,66,1617],"class_list":{"0":"post-605864","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-portland-trail-blazers","8":"tag-2026-nba-all-star","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-blazers","11":"tag-los-angeles","12":"tag-nba","13":"tag-nba-all-star","14":"tag-portland","15":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","16":"tag-portlandtrailblazers","17":"tag-sports","18":"tag-trail-blazers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116078956786264054","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=605864"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605864\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/605865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=605864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=605864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=605864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}