Hey Now, You're An All-Star
Why Deni Avdija’s selection matters even if you don’t know a triple double from a three-pointer
When Deni Avdija made it to the NBA, Israelis - and plenty of Diaspora Jews - were bursting with pride. Every basket, every assist felt like a small national achievement. If Deni had simply put up solid numbers and carved out a respectable career, dayenu - that would have been enough.
But it turns out, it wasn’t enough for Deni.
Over the past two years, his talent and production have exploded. What began in Washington, D.C. as the eighth overall pick in the NBA draft has evolved into something much bigger.
Even if you don’t follow basketball or can’t confidently explain the difference between a triple-double and a three-pointer, it’s a big deal when an Israeli is part of the conversation about the league’s best players.
Even LeBron (yes, that LeBron) praised Deni’s game.
“He’s having a hell of a season. He should be an All‑Star…He’s playing great basketball.”1
What an example of game recognizing game. While we’re talking about LeBron, Deni received more All-Star votes from fans than LeBron did. Let that sink in.
If his height didn’t already make him a Jewish mother’s dream, his talent and success take it to the next level.
Origin Story
Deni is the son of Sharon Artzi from Kibbutz Beit Zera and Zufer Avdija, a towering Serbian former professional basketball player. Like father, like son - both stand at 6’8”. Zufer played in Serbia and Israel, and Sharon was an athlete herself, competing in basketball and track and field2.
Deni was the youngest player in history on the Maccabi Tel Aviv senior team at the age of 16 and he won two championships with them. The second of which came with a record for the youngest ever MVP. His rise wasn’t out of nowhere. Still, success in Israel and even on the world stage in Eurobasket doesn’t automatically translate to the NBA. We’ve seen plenty of college stars struggle to make that leap.
Deni did it.
Third Time, Ice Cream
This subtitle comes from a saying in Hebrew - פעם שלישית גלידה / Pom shlee-sheet, glee-duh - which means “third time, ice cream”. If you see someone twice in a day unexpectedly, you say that the third time you’ll get ice cream.
It’s not everyday that an athlete releases his own food product. There’s no shortage of athletes that have their own shoe designs, but food is a different story. Not only is it ice cream, but it’s protein-packed (17 grams), which is unique and targeted to athletes. The brand name comes from Deni’s days on the Wizards when he was nicknamed Turbo for his speedy bursts up and down the court.
Turbo ice cream is currently available in Israel with a possible release in the States on the horizon. It comes in three flavors: chocolate hazelnut, vanilla, and mango.
There’s something delightful about watching him introduce it to his Trail Blazers teammates in the video below.
Speaking the Language
If you’ve ever heard Deni interviewed, you’ve probably noticed how strong his English is. Israelis study English in school, but fluency isn’t a given.
Deni has said that beyond school, his English improved from playing Call of Duty and watching Nickelodeon shows like Drake & Josh and iCarly3. Apparently, kids’ sitcoms are an underrated language immersion tool.
The payoff is enormous. He communicates smoothly with teammates, coaches, and media. It makes him accessible and you feel like you know him.
Contrast that with teammates who rely on translators. There’s inevitably a barrier. Language opens doors not only in sports, but in business, culture, and relationships. Watching Deni navigate the NBA so naturally is a reminder of how critical that language skill is.
Not in Anyone’s Shadow
Whenever someone follows a trailblazer - in this case, Omri Casspi - there’s a quiet question: Does the pioneer want the record to stand forever, or do they want to be surpassed?
Omri Casspi, most certainly a class act, told Deni that he’s rooting for him to be the best.
“I will be angry with you if you’re not better than me. I also want you to be better and think you have the potential to be better…Go with your truth, that’s something good. Push yourself to be the best you can be.4”
It feels Israeli to me that Omri would wish him success and want him to be better than him. Omri sees Deni as a representative of Israel and he’s proud of him. There doesn’t seem to be a hint of jealousy and it serves as a great example of humility and freudenfreude, the opposite of schadenfreude, or feeling happy for someone else’s success.
Repping the Blue and White
I was stunned to learn that Deni briefly considered playing for Serbia in EuroBasket when he was first eligible. He ultimately chose Israel, saying it would be more of a challenge.
I can’t imagine him in another uniform.
This year’s team had high hopes this past fall, but they ended up coming up short. Deni played masterfully and averaged 24 points a game, but it ultimately wasn’t enough when going up against Giannis “The Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo and Team Greece. Team Israel made it to the final 16, but that was the end of the road.
Watching Eurobasket is a somewhat humbling/eye-opening experience to the fact that there are so many talented players around the world who aren’t in the NBA. This is also seen in the Olympics when every once in a while a team without so many NBA stars gives Team USA a fight.
I remember watching the Olympics as a kid and thinking how cool it was to see NBA players playing on national teams outside of US, whether that was France, Australia, or Spain. It’s a special feeling to see an NBA star in the blue and white.
Heavy Non-Diva Vibes
Deni signed a four-year, $55 million contract, in 2023, which is objectively a massive sum, yet below market value for a player of his caliber.
When asked if he regretted it, he said:
“Do I regret the contract? No. It gave me a lot of calmness because I know I’m secure. That was my goal. I told my agent, and he was like, ‘I think you should sign for less years,’ but I was like, ‘If I outplay my contract, I outplay my contract. We will deal with that later5.”
In an era of dramatic contract disputes and oversized egos, that answer stands out. Deni lets his game do the talking.
In any post-game interview, you get the sense that he genuinely loves playing. He talks about his teammates first, gives credit easily, and rarely lingers on his own stat line. There’s no hogging the spotlight - just a steady respect for the game and the people around him. He’s thoughtful at the mic, measured but not bland.
Contrary to other NBA stars, I can’t really picture him pulling up in a Lamborghini. I can, however, picture him playing Call of Duty with friends, reaching for Bamba or Bissli between rounds, and carrying that quiet awareness of exactly where he comes from.
He has a whole country behind him.
And he gives us a lot of nachas.
Song of the Week
מדאם / Madame
This power ballad comes to us from Noam Bettan, this year’s Israeli representative to Eurovision. I have been a fan of Noam from before he was on Kochav Haba (Rising Star), or the singing competition that determines who will represent Israel at Eurovision. He was my favorite from the start with his golden vocals.
I’ve been reading up on Eurovision lately and it means a lot to Israelis. Akiva Novick of Yediot Achronot has written extensively about it. Eurovision gives Israelis a sense of belonging amongst the nations of the world. It is a welcome change from our usual place as pariah or outcast. We’ve also done very well in the last 3 years - coming in the Top 5. You can watch the magic yourself May 12-16.
Slang of the Week
פליז
Please
I’ve only recently started to hear this in Israeli TV shows. It’s very much used as it is in English with a bit more umph. It is yet another addition to the list of English words that are making their way into the Hebrew lexicon.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. It has been a while since I’ve written standalone posts and it feels great to be back. I hope to be posting more regularly with explanations of unique features of Israeli culture and society.
“LeBron James endorses Deni Avdija for All-Star Yet Again”. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lebron-james-endorses-deni-avdija-165851931.html
“Deni Adija now Israel’s all-time leading NBA scorer as becomes true hoops star”. Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/deni-avdija-now-israels-all-time-leading-nba-scorer-as-he-becomes-true-hoops-star/
Hughes, Chase. “Deni Avdija Learned English From Call of Duty and Nickelodean Shows”. NBC Washington. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/nbcsports/deni-avdija-learned-english-from-call-of-duty-and-nickelodeon-shows/2481407/
“Casspi to Avdija “I’ll be angry if you don’t become better than me””. EuroHoops.net. https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1060261/casspi-to-avdija-ill-be-angry-if-you-dont-become-better-than-me/
“Deni Avdija’s unexpected rise to NBAs’ new breakout star - and Israel’s greatest player ever”. The Athletic section of The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6975290/2026/01/21/deni-avdijia-trail-blazers-wizards-israel-nba/