Deni Avdija is an NBA All-Star.
Let that sink in.
For the 25-year-old forward from Beit Zera, and for Israeli basketball as a whole, a long-imagined milestone became reality on Sunday night when Avdija was named a Western Conference reserve for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on February 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Avdija became the first Israeli player ever selected to the NBA’s midseason showcase after being chosen by the league’s 30 head coaches as one of the seven reserves in the Western Conference.
He ranked fifth in fan voting in the West with 2.2 million votes, finishing behind only Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and ahead of numerous established superstars.
The Portland Trail Blazers forward is in the midst of the best season of his career, averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.
He is one of only three players in the NBA averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists this season, joining Jokic and Doncic. Avdija has recorded three triple-doubles, reached double figures in assists nine times, and scored 20 or more points in 35 games.
After learning of his selection, Avdija reflected on the journey that brought him to this point.
“Obviously, I couldn’t do it without my teammates and coaches, and the whole crew that’s just been with me this season, it’s been amazing,” he said. “There’s a long season to go. I gotta focus on the team and see how we get better as a group, but definitely as an individual accolade that’s amazing.”
“I started playing basketball without a dream and just to see, pursue it and just see wherever it takes me,” Avdija added. “It’s hard to believe that you just accomplish thing after thing after thing. It’s just emotional for me for sure.”
Portland head coach Tiago Splitter praised Avdija’s character as much as his performance.
“Proud of him. I know he cares about this team,” Splitter said. “When you see a person like that succeeding, it’s truly special.”
All-Star game format changes once again
Avdija also acknowledged the competition for All-Star spots and the players who were left out.
“I think there are great players that didn’t get chosen for the All-Star game, and obviously, there’s a lot of talent in this league that could have been instead of me,” he said. “But I worked hard. I play hard. I don’t want to say I deserve it, but I do respect myself and my game, and I’m really happy that I’m able to be an All-Star.”
Despite the personal milestone, Avdija emphasized that his focus remains on Portland’s collective progress.
“I think the mindset of you being in it is just fun, but I have a lot of other things I think about,” he said. “It’s just how to win games because we’re struggling a little bit right now as a team. So I’m thinking more about the team right now than actually the All-Star. I feel like the closer it’s going to get, the more I’m going to think about it. But for now, I’m really trying to stay with my teammates.”
The outpouring of support from Israel did not go unnoticed.
“A lot of congratulatory messages and the amount of love, not only from the family and friends, but also the fans and the whole state of Israel, for real, is just standing behind me,” Avdija said. “It’s amazing. My teammates have been awesome. Coaches, everybody. Just hugging and showing the love, for sure.”
He repeatedly returned to the role of his teammates in making the achievement possible.
“A lot of times, if you’re not on a team that’s playing well, you don’t really get that,” Avdija said. “I couldn’t do it without my teammates, couldn’t do it without them. How we share the ball, how we play hard, and how we are in the standings. A lot of it is a team sport at the end of the day.”
“You need to play as a team and contribute to having success as a team and as an individual,” he continued. “I can go down the line and thank my teammates, and they know I love them. They helped me pursue the dream, and I’m going to help them pursue theirs.”
Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA, congratulated Avdija on reaching the milestone.
“Deni, what immense pride,” Casspi said. “Seeing the journey you’ve taken, the hard work and perseverance, it’s well deserved. Enjoy every moment on this stage; you are proof that the sky is the limit, and this is only the beginning.”
On the All-Star broadcast at Madison Square Garden, Tracy McGrady pointed toward the screen and told Carmelo Anthony, “Here’s your guy,” prompting Anthony to explain.
“Deni came into the NBA at a young age. He found his place, his rhythm, and his confidence. He’s the reason we keep talking about Portland.”
Doncic, who will join Avdija on the international team, also weighed in.
“Deni has a great career,” Doncic said. “He definitely deserved to be an All-Star.”
Avdija, who was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2020 NBA Draft before joining Portland two seasons ago, looked back at what his rookie self might have thought about this moment.
“That he’s proud, that he’s been through a lot, and that I’m glad that I was patient with it and I didn’t give up, no matter the situation,” he said. “I doubted myself, but I kept working on it, and I kept being patient, and I knew my opportunity to shine would come.”
This season’s All-Star Game will feature a revised format, with three teams of at least eight players competing in 12-minute games in a round-robin tournament. The two teams with the best records will advance to the final. Avdija is expected to play for the international team alongside Doncic, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama.
For one night in Los Angeles, Deni Avdija will stand among the very best players in the world – and Israeli basketball will be there with him.