Deni 101.
New to Deni? Start here. From Beit Zera to the All-Star Game: his career, his family, his words and what he does off the court. Every line links to its source.
Portrait
Deni Avdija #8
Israeli forward for the Portland Trail Blazers. In 2026 he became the first Israeli named an NBA All-Star.
- Height
- 6-8
- Age
- 25
- Number
- #8
Source: BALLDONTLIE
The short version
1st
Israeli NBA All-Star (Feb 2026)
#9
Pick in 2020, the highest-drafted Israeli ever
Source: Basketball-Reference, Bizportal
24.2
Points a game in 2025-26, with 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists
Source: Basketball-Reference
41
Points in the play-in win at Phoenix that sent Portland to the playoffs
Source: ESPN, Algemeiner
Say his name
DEH-nee av-DEE-ya
דני אבדיה
That is how the name is said in Hebrew: the J is soft, like a Y. The NBA's own pronunciation guide writes it Denny AHV-dee-uh.
Career
From the kibbutz to Portland, in order
Growing up
3 Jan 2001
Born in Kibbutz Beit Zera
In the Jordan Valley, his mother's kibbutz. The family later moved to Herzliya, where he grew up.
Source: NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ישראל היום
Childhood
Football first, then Bnei Herzliya
His father says he was around the game from age 5, riding the team bus with his father's players. In 4th grade he started in the Bnei Herzliya youth department and played there until he was 12.
Source: Times of Israel, ONE, ספורט 5
2013
Maccabi Tel Aviv
19 Nov 2017
First-team debut at 16
At 16 years and 320 days, the youngest player in the club's history. Two weeks earlier he had signed a six-year contract.
Source: ליגת העל, Walla, Times of Israel
Jul 2018
U20 European champion
Gold with Israel in Chemnitz, Germany, and a place on the all-tournament team.
Source: FIBA, FIBA (all-tournament team)
21 Feb 2019
Jul 2019
2018 to 2020
Three Israeli league titles
Source: Times of Israel, Eurohoops
Feb 2020
The dunk over DatomeOne source
His dunk over Luigi Datome was named the EuroLeague's play of the season.
Source: Walla
1 Apr 2020
Enlists in the IDF
With 'exceptional athlete' status, which lets him keep playing. He arrived at the induction base with his parents and his agent.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Jul 2020
Washington Wizards
18 Nov 2020
Drafted 9th by Washington
The highest an Israeli has ever been drafted. Omri Casspi was the first Israeli first-rounder, at 23 in 2009.
Source: Basketball-Reference, Bizportal, JTA
21 Apr 2021
Rookie season ends with a broken ankle
A fractured right ankle against Golden State. He averaged 6.3 points in 54 games.
Source: ESPN, Basketball-Reference
Jan 2023
He becomes "Turbo"
Teammate Monte Morris gave him the name after a one-on-one at practice, after the turbo button in NBA 2K.
Source: WTOP
22 Oct 2023
Four years, $55 million
A fully guaranteed extension with Washington, the contract he still plays on today.
Source: ESPN, Hoops Rumors
14 Feb 2024
43 points and 15 rebounds
At New Orleans. Still his career high.
Source: Basketball-Reference, NBA.com
Portland Trail Blazers
26 Jun 2024
Traded to Portland
Washington got Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th pick in 2024 (Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick and two second-rounders. He kept No. 8, the number he switched to in his last season in Washington.
Source: ESPN, NBA.com, Sports Illustrated
2 Mar 2025
The first Israeli triple-double
30 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists at Cleveland.
Source: Jerusalem Post, JNS
Aug-Sep 2025
EuroBasket: Israel beats France
On 31 August, 23 points and 5 steals in an 82-69 win, Israel's first over France since 1997. Israel reached the last 16 for the first time in ten years, then lost to Greece 84-79 on 7 September; Deni scored 22.
Source: FIBA (France), Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, FIBA (Greece)
23 Oct 2025
1 Feb 2026
Named an All-Star, the first Israeli ever
About 2.2 million fans voted for him. He played on 15 February for Team World in Inglewood, with the Israeli flag on the back of his jersey above the 8.
Source: NBA.com, Jerusalem Post, NBA PR, ynetnews
14 Apr 2026
41 points to reach the playoffs
In the play-in at Phoenix: 41 points, 12 assists and the go-ahead three-point play with 16 seconds left, in a 114-110 win.
Source: ESPN, ESPN (recap), Algemeiner
19 Apr 2026
First playoff game: 30 and 10
The first player raised in Israeli basketball to play in an NBA playoff game (Tel Aviv-born T.J. Leaf, a dual citizen who grew up in the US, played for Indiana in 2018). Portland lost the series 1-4 to San Antonio; he averaged 22.2 points.
Source: ESPN, Basketball-Reference, Times of Israel
Apr 2026
Third in Most Improved Player
Behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Duren, with seven first-place votes.
Source: theScore
Sep 2026
A new coach, a new season
Micah Nori, hired in June, is Portland's head coach for 2026-27.
Source: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
In his words
Word for word, linked to where he said it. English quotes stay in English.
“קודם כל תודה שאתם מקריבים משעות השינה שלכם, אני יודע שזה לא פשוט כבחור שאוהב לישון.”
To Israeli fans, All-Star media day, 14 Feb 2026 · ynet
“It's the best thing that's ever happened to me in my career so far.”
On reaching the playoffs, 14 Apr 2026 (AP) · Algemeiner
“It all made me tough — like, really, really tough.”
On being bullied as a teenager at Maccabi · The Athletic (NBA.com)
“I'm a proud Israeli, because that's where I grew up.”
To The Athletic, Jan 2026 · The Athletic (NBA.com)
“I believe in myself more than ever before, and, because of that, I'm able to play more free.”
To Yahoo Sports, Feb 2026 · Yahoo Sports (NBA.com)
“אני מנסה להיות הישראלי היפה והטוב שמסתדר עם כולם”
To ynet's 7 Days, Sep 2026 · ynet
Family and life
What he and his family have said in public
His father
Zufer Avdija
Born in 1959 to a Gorani family with roots in Pristina, Kosovo. He played for Red Star Belgrade through the 1980s and captained the team, and won bronze with Yugoslavia at the 1982 World Championship. He came to Israel in 1990 as a player, and in 2021 became professional manager of Bnei Herzliya.
Source: ישראל היום (2022), ynetnews, Sports Illustrated, הארץ
His mother
Sharon Artzi
Grew up in Kibbutz Beit Zera; a track athlete and basketball player. Zufer says Deni would not be who he is without her. Deni, her only child, says she knows everything about him.
Source: The Athletic (NBA.com), ספורט 5, ynetnews
Brothers and sisters
An only child at home, with a half-brother in Belgrade
Deni is the only child of Sharon and Zufer and grew up as an only child; he says so himself. His father has two older children from his first marriage, Andrej and Iva. Andrej, about 16 years older than Deni, lives in Belgrade; at EuroBasket 2025 he sat with the family in the back row of the stands.
Source: ynet, ישראל היום (2022), ישראל היום (2020), Walla
Two worlds
A Jewish mother, a Muslim father
He holds Israeli and Serbian citizenship. He calls himself a proud Israeli, because Israel is where he grew up.
Source: Unpacked, ישראל היום, The Athletic (NBA.com)
Growing up hard
A demanding father, a tough locker room
He has described shouting matches in the car with his father and crying on the way home. As a teenager at Maccabi, adult teammates picked on him and coaches cursed at him. He says it made him tough.
Source: N12, The Athletic (NBA.com)
Languages
Hebrew and EnglishOne source
He learned his English from Nickelodeon shows and from playing Call of Duty.
Source: NBC Washington
Portland
Fishing, Thai food, natureOne source
He lives in the Portland area, fishes on the lake, loves Thai food, and says the city's nature and culture feel different from the rest of America.
Source: The Athletic (NBA.com)
Home
Israel and identity
The war, the army and the hate, from what he has said and done
Mar 2022
"Am Yisrael Chai" on his shoes
Against Orlando, during a wave of attacks in Israel.
Source: Israel Hayom, Times of Israel
7 Oct 2023
The night of October 7
He was at home in Washington when a friend serving in the army called him. He has said his heart is with the families of the fallen and the hostages.
Source: Israel Hayom, Times of Israel
Oct 2024
Sat out on Yom Kippur
He sat out Portland's preseason opener against the Clippers, which fell on Yom Kippur.
Source: JTA, Jerusalem Post
Jan 2026
On the hate he gets
He told The Athletic he is frustrated that his nationality is judged instead of his game, and that he stays out of politics because it is not his job.
Source: Times of Israel
Feb 2026
Netanyahu's congratulations, and the scrutinyOne source
The prime minister congratulated him publicly on the All-Star selection, which brought foreign media attention to his army service.
Source: ABC News (Australia)
Mar 2025
Soldiers and hostage familiesOne source
He has said he tries to do what he can, from seeing soldiers to looking after hostage families. No amounts have been reported.
Source: ישראל היום
Apr 2025
Maurice Lucas AwardOne source
A Blazers award named after the late Portland great. With it, the club gave $5,000 to a charity of Deni's choice.
Source: ynet
May 2026
Jerusalem Ambassador in the Diaspora award
Presented by Jerusalem mayor Moshe Lion at an event in New York.
Source: Jerusalem Post, ynetnews
Off the court
Sponsors, ads and his own brand
Since 2019
Feb 2020
Jul 2025
Nov 2025 and Aug 2026
Nov 2025
His own brand: Turbo
A protein ice cream named after his nickname: 17 grams of protein a pint and no added sugar. Israel first, the US later.
Source: ynetnews, ynetnews (food), Walla
Jun 2026
Turbo MixOne source
A vegan protein snack, the brand's second product, in about 1,500 stores with a target of 3,000.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Jun 2026
Aug 2026
El Al
He appears in El Al's new in-flight safety video with Gal Gadot and Lior Raz, and fronts the airline's first celebrity campaign in the United States, running until spring.
Source: Jerusalem Post, Travel Weekly, ice
Property
Reported real-estate investmentsOne source
Bizportal reports investment flats in Tel Aviv and income property in Portland. Deni has not spoken about it.
Source: Bizportal
Causes
Campaigns he lends his name to
A campaign against bullying by the RGE media group, which he fronts with Dor Peretz and Linoy Ashram (August 2026), and a responsible-betting campaign for the Toto, Israel's Sports Betting Council, with other Israeli athletes (August 2025).
Source: ישראל היום, ספורט 5, Walla
Team
Agents: Doug Neustadt and Matan Siman-Tov
Siman-Tov has represented him since his Maccabi days.
Source: ESPN (Woj), mako
Contract
Changes over time- 2024-25$15,625,000
- 2025-26$14,375,000
- 2026-27$13,125,000
- 2027-28$11,875,000
Signed with Washington in October 2023. The salary falls each year. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in summer 2028. Portland can extend him now, but league rules cap the first year of an extension at 140% of the final-year salary of his current deal, or 140% of the league's estimated average salary if that is higher, so a maximum deal is not possible now.
Source: Fanspo, ספורט 5, Blazer's Edge, Hoops Rumors
Firsts and records
18 Nov 2020
Highest-drafted Israeli (No. 9)
Source: Basketball-Reference, Bizportal
2 Mar 2025
First Israeli NBA triple-double
Source: JNS
1 Feb 2026
First Israeli NBA All-Star
Source: NBA.com
14 Apr 2026
One of five players with 40+ in a play-in game
Source: ESPN, Algemeiner
19 Apr 2026
First Israeli-raised player in an NBA playoff game
T.J. Leaf, born in Tel Aviv and raised in the US, played playoff minutes for Indiana in 2018. Omri Casspi was on Houston's roster in 2013-14 but did not play in the playoffs.
Source: Times of Israel, Times of Israel, Basketball-Reference
2020
Youngest Israeli league MVP (19)
Source: Eurohoops, CBS Sports
2017
Youngest Maccabi Tel Aviv first-team playerOne source
Source: Times of Israel
Injuries and health
Only what he or the team made public
As a teenager
A back injury as a teenagerOne source
It stopped him playing for a while and he thought about quitting; his mother talked him out of it.
Source: ישראל היום
Apr 2021
Jan 2026
A car accident in Portland
His father was driving when another driver ran a red light and hit them head-on. The airbags went off and the car was wrecked. At the time his camp said no one was hurt; in June he told N12 he took a hard airbag blow to the head and his father's arm was badly cut. It happened just before the home game against Houston on 9 January, which he played and Portland won 111-105. He says he later missed about a month with a back injury.
Source: ישראל היום, ynet, Walla, N12
2025-26 and summer 2026
The back injury
A complex back injury slowed him late in the season and in the playoffs. Portland did not clear him for Israel's World Cup qualifiers in the summer, and some fans in Israel criticised him for missing them. At media day on 28 September he said he was 99.9% ready.
Source: N12, הארץ, Blazer's Edge
Interviews to read
The long pieces about his life. We link out; the read counts for them.
- Deni Avdija's unexpected rise to NBA's new breakout star — and Israel's greatest player ever ↗
The Athletic, Jason Quick · 2026-01-21 · In English
The best single piece: Maccabi as a teenager, his parents, Billups handing him the ball, life in Portland.
- 'Do I really belong here?' Behind Deni Avdija's explosive rise from cast-off to NBA All-Star ↗
Yahoo Sports, Yaron Weitzman · 2026-02-03 · In English
The doubts in Washington and how his confidence came back.
- אני מנסה להיות הישראלי היפה שמסתדר עם כולם ↗
ynet, 7 ימים, אפרת עמורבן · 2026-09-11 · In Hebrew
The long Hebrew interview: holidays away from home, his mother, the national team.
- I try to show the good side of Israel ↗
ynetnews, Efrat Amoraban · 2026-09-12 · In English
The English edition of the ynet interview.
- "חושב שזה מרתיע הרבה בנות": דני אבדיה, ההצלחה והבדידות ↗
N12, דני קושמרו · 2026-06-19 · In Hebrew
His most personal interview: his father, being alone, the accident, coming home one day.
- No longer riding pine, Deni Avdija blazes trail of pride for Israel ↗
Times of Israel, Jon Marks · 2025-03-11 · In English
His first months in Portland, Israeli fans in the arena, the war back home.
- 5 a.m. games and bar mitzvah trips: Israelis revel in Deni Avdija's breakout season ↗
JTA via J. (jweekly), Jacob Gurvis · 2025-04-14 · In English
The fans' side: alarms at dawn, trips to Portland.
- ככה עושים אולסטאר: זופר אבדיה על הילדות של דני ↗
ספורט 5 · 2026-02-02 · In Hebrew
His father on how it started (a 2020 interview, republished).
- מסע אל דני אבדיה בתקופה הטובה בחייו ↗
ישראל היום, אורי דגון · 2025-03-26 · In Hebrew
A weekend-magazine profile: his parents and his hobbies.
- שיהיה במזל: 25 דברים שלא ידעתם על דני אבדיה ↗
ישראל היום, נדב דימנד · 2026-01-03 · In Hebrew
A list of 25 lesser-known facts.
The small things
The nickname
The number
Why 8
He wore 8 at Maccabi and for Israel. In Washington Rui Hachimura had it, so the team announced 44 (4 + 4 = 8), but he never wore it in a game: he played in 9, then 8. In Portland it is 8 again.
Source: NBC Washington, Basketball-Reference
The bedroom
A mini hoop with the 2015 All-Star logoOne source
It hung in his childhood room. Eleven years later he played in the game.
Source: Yahoo Sports (NBA.com)
5 a.m.
Israel watches at dawn
His evening games start around 5 a.m. in Israel. Before the All-Star Game he thanked the fans who wake up for him.
Source: ynet, JTA (J. Weekly)
Why Israel cares
The best Israeli player ever in the NBA and the first Israeli All-Star. Raised at Maccabi Tel Aviv, plays for the national team. Most of his games tip off between 2 and 6 in the morning in Israel, and people still watch.
Why Portland loves him
He arrived in a 2024 draft-night trade that many thought Portland overpaid for, and became the franchise player on a bargain contract. First All-Star, first playoffs since 2021. Plays hard, draws fouls, talks straight.
What we could not confirm
Not on the page as fact until a real source turns up
- A foundation, camps or clinics of his own. We found none.
- Which charity received the $5,000 with the Maurice Lucas Award.
- Exactly when the accident happened. His representatives said "the evening before the game" against Houston on 9 January; ynet reported it was a short time before that game. No report prints a date.
- Whether he speaks Serbian. Hebrew and English are confirmed.
- Whether his father still holds the Bnei Herzliya job. The appointment was in June 2021; we found no report from 2026.