Deni Avdija Bio
Deni Avdija is an Israeli and Serbian professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the small forward position and carries the nickname “Turbo” for his fast-paced drive and aggressive playing style. Standing 2.08 m tall and weighing 103 kg, Avdija is known for his versatile, all-around game.
Before reaching the NBA, Avdija developed with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, winning three straight Israeli League championships. He was selected ninth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, where he spent four seasons before being traded to Portland in 2024. He is also a long-time member of the Israeli senior national team.
Early Life and Background
Deni Avdija was born on 3 January 2001 in kibbutz Beit Zera, Israel. His mother, Sharon Artzi, is an Israeli Jew from the kibbutz and a former track-and-field and basketball player. His father, Zufer Avdija, is a former Yugoslav and Israeli basketball player of Gorani-Serbian heritage, who represented the Yugoslavia national team and won a bronze medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship before moving to Israel in the 1990s.
Avdija played association football as a child before switching to basketball in fourth grade, after a friend encouraged him to try the sport because of his height. He started with hometown club Bnei Herzliya Basket, then joined the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth program in 2013 under coach Shai Omer. He led Maccabi Tel Aviv’s youth teams to three consecutive Israeli youth state championships from 2017 to 2019, and in December 2018 he led his high school team, Tichon Hadash, to the Israeli high-school title.
Path to Basketball
Avdija’s rise through the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth system was marked by standout performances on the international stage. In August 2018, he was named MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Belgrade, and in February 2019 he earned MVP honors at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also led the Maccabi U18 team to the Adidas Next Generation Tournament finals, earning all-tournament team recognition.
At the youth international level, Avdija represented Israel at the 2017 FIBA U16 European Championship, where he led the tournament in rebounding and assists. In 2018, he helped Israel win gold at the FIBA U20 European Championship in Chemnitz and was named to the all-tournament team. The following year, he led Israel to a second straight U20 gold medal in Tel Aviv, earning tournament MVP honors while averaging 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 steals per game.
Deni Avdija Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
On 5 November 2017, Deni Avdija signed a six-year professional contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv and made his senior debut on 19 November 2017 against Ironi Nes Ziona, becoming the youngest player in club history at 16 years and 320 days old. He made his EuroLeague debut on 22 November 2018, at 17, scoring two points in a loss to Fenerbahçe, and later posted six points and three rebounds in his first EuroLeague start in October 2019 against Valencia.
During the 2019–20 season, Avdija produced a string of career-best performances in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, including 26 points against Hapoel Eilat and 22 points against Hapoel Holon. He helped Maccabi Tel Aviv capture the Israeli League championship in 2020, earning Israeli League MVP, Israeli Player of the Year and All-Israeli League First Team honors, and becoming the youngest player ever to win the league MVP award. In April 2020, he declared for the NBA draft.
NBA Breakthrough (2020–2024)
Deni Avdija was selected ninth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, signing his rookie contract on 1 December 2020. He impressed early with 20 points and five three-pointers against the Miami Heat in January 2021 before a right ankle fracture ended his rookie season in April 2021. He bounced back to play all 82 games in 2021–22, averaging 8.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
His development accelerated in 2022–23, when he set new career highs of 25 points against the San Antonio Spurs and 20 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls. On 22 October 2023, Avdija agreed to a four-year, $55 million contract extension with the Wizards, the richest deal of his career. In 2023–24 he reached a new peak, scoring a career-high 43 points with 15 rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans and finishing the season with averages of 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on 51 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.
Portland Trail Blazers Era (2024–Present)
On 6 July 2024, Deni Avdija was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a package that sent Bub Carrington, Malcolm Brogdon and several draft picks to Washington. He quickly became a central piece of Portland’s rotation, showcasing his ability to play multiple positions and facilitate the offense. He sat out the Trail Blazers’ first preseason game of 2024 to observe Yom Kippur.
In 2025, Avdija elevated his production further. On 2 March 2025 he recorded his first career triple-double against the Cleveland Cavaliers, then followed it with a 32-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double on 2 April 2025 against the Atlanta Hawks. Across 13 games in March 2025, he averaged 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 51.0 percent shooting from the field and 45.7 percent from three-point range, the most productive month of his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Deni Avdija is valued for his positional versatility, able to defend multiple positions and operate as a ball-handler, scorer or point forward. His aggressive drives to the basket, rebounding instincts and improving three-point shooting make him a matchup problem. The Portland coaching staff has used his playmaking vision to run offense through the wing, and he has responded with improved efficiency and shot selection.
Notable Events and Milestones
Avdija became the youngest player in Maccabi Tel Aviv history in 2017 and the youngest Israeli League MVP in 2020. In the NBA, he recorded career highs of 43 points and 20 rebounds and became a triple-double threat in 2025. Internationally, he led Israel to consecutive FIBA U20 European Championship gold medals in 2018 and 2019, earning MVP honors in 2019.
Deni Avdija Career Wins
Deni Avdija has built a résumé that includes three Israeli League championships with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018, 2019 and 2020, two FIBA U20 European Championship gold medals with Israel in 2018 and 2019, and the 2020 Israeli League MVP award. In the NBA, he has not yet won a major individual award or playoff series, but his statistical growth in 2024–25 has positioned him as one of the league’s emerging all-around wings.
Israeli League Highlights
Avdija won three straight Israeli Basketball Premier League titles with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018, 2019 and 2020, contributing increasingly larger roles each season. In the 2019–20 championship run, he recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the semifinal and added five points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in the final win over Maccabi Rishon LeZion. His 2020 Israeli League MVP made him the youngest player ever to receive the award.
Other Wins and Performances
At the youth level, Avdija was named MVP of the 2018 Basketball Without Borders Europe camp and the 2019 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp. He also led Israel to back-to-back FIBA U20 European Championship gold medals in 2018 and 2019, earning tournament MVP in 2019. In December 2018, he led Tichon Hadash to the Israeli high-school national championship.
Deni Avdija Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Deni Avdija comes from a strong athletic family. His father, Zufer Avdija, played professional basketball for 11 seasons with Serbian club Crvena zvezda, serving as team captain in the 1980s, and later played eight seasons in Israel for Ramat HaSharon, Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Elitzur Bat Yam. Zufer also represented the Yugoslavia national team and won a bronze medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship.
Personal Life
Avdija’s mother, Sharon Artzi, is a former track-and-field and basketball player from kibbutz Beit Zera. He holds dual Israeli and Serbian citizenship and is Jewish, having sat out Portland’s first 2024 preseason game to observe Yom Kippur. After turning 18, he received a deferment from mandatory Israel Defense Forces service due to his basketball career, though he was drafted for a short service in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic suspension. He has said he learned English by playing video games and watching Nickelodeon sitcoms.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 NBA season has been a breakout year for Deni Avdija in Portland. After being traded from Washington in July 2024, he established himself as a versatile focal point for the Trail Blazers, posting his first career triple-doubles in March and April 2025 and delivering a career-best month in March with 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game on 51.0 percent field-goal and 45.7 percent three-point shooting.
His improvement in efficiency, three-point accuracy and playmaking has drawn attention across the league and signaled a clear step forward in his development. While Portland’s playoff outlook depends on the broader roster, Avdija’s individual trajectory points toward an All-Star-caliber ceiling if he sustains this production. His combination of size, skill and basketball IQ, honed through years in the Maccabi Tel Aviv system, continues to make him one of the most intriguing young wings in the NBA.