Avdija named NBA All-Star, a first for an Israeli

Deni Avdija, a 25-year-old, Israeli-born forward for the Portland Trail Blazers, was named to the National Basketball Association 2026 All-Star roster as a reserve for the Western Conference on Sunday.

The 6-foot-8-inch Avdija, who wears No. 8, is averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.

Avdija, who played for the Israeli national team in the 2023 International Basketball Federation World Cup Qualifiers and the European Basketball Championship tournament, was named most valuable player at the 2019 FIBA U-20 European Championships—a tournament at which he helped Israel win gold in 2018 and 2019.

His father won bronze as part of the Yugoslavia team in 1982 at the FIBA Basketball World Championship and played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s in Serbia and Israel, and his mother was a championship runner, according to his official NBA biography.

Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, congratulated Avdija, who he said is “the first Israeli ever voted into the NBA All-Star game.” (The game will be held on Feb. 15 in Los Angeles.)

“Leading the Portland Trail Blazers as one of the NBA’s rising stars, Deni continues to make history,” the ambassador stated. “We’re excited to watch your career grow and will be cheering you on every step of the way.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog congratulated Avdija on the achievement, calling him a “great inspiration” who is “showing everyone that it is possible to aim high and realize their dreams.” Herzog added that Avdija is a “true source of Israeli pride.”

“We all look forward to seeing you on one of the greatest stages in the sporting world, and we will continue to support you every step of the way,” the president wrote in a celebratory post on X.