\u201cI obviously stand for my country, because that\u2019s where I\u2019m from. It\u2019s frustrating to see all the hate. Like, I have a good game or get All-Star votes, and all the comments [on social media] are people connecting me to politics. Like, why can\u2019t I just be a good basketball player? Why does it matter if I\u2019m from Israel, or wherever in the world, or what my race is? Just respect me as a basketball player.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cYou don\u2019t have to love what I stand for or how I look, but if I\u2019m a good player, give props. All this hate \u2026 for no reason, like I\u2019m deciding things in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued, \u201cI\u2019m from there, and I respect my country, and I stand behind it. I\u2019m a proud Israeli because that\u2019s where I grew up. I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today if it weren\u2019t for Israel and the support the people and fans gave me. But all the extra stuff around it? It\u2019s just unnecessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n In 41 games so far this season, marking the season\u2019s midway point, Avdija, 25, a native of Kibbutz Beit Zera in northern Israel, has led Portland to a 22-21 record while averaging 26.2 points, 6.9 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game, marking a major jump from his previous career highs.<\/p>\n The next-level performance has led Avdija to become the odds-on favorite to win the NBA\u2019s Most Improved Player award, according to the sports gambling website FanDuel, and to receive the seventh-most votes from fans for this year\u2019s All-Star Game.<\/p>\n But Avdija has also been dealing with a lingering back injury, which caused him to leave the floor during Portland\u2019s game on Thursday against the Miami Heat.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Avdija\u2019s emergence as a star has been attributed partly to a decision toward the end of last season by Portland head coach Chauncey Billups \u2014 who is currently suspended after being arrested for alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme \u2014 to have Avdija, a 6\u2032 8\u2033 small forward, run the Trail Blazers\u2019 offense upon rebounding the ball, instead of passing it to other teammates.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I started to play like that, my confidence kind of got built up,\u201d Avdija told The Athletic. \u201cChauncey would always tell me he thought I could be great. He saw things in parts of my game that I didn\u2019t value as much, and I appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n This year, following a series of injuries to Portland\u2019s primary point guards, interim head coach Tiago Splitter decided to give Avdija the reins of the Trail Blazers\u2019 offense despite not having previously played the point guard position, leading to his surprising ascendancy this year after five prior unremarkable seasons with Portland and the Washington Wizards.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople have to understand: He is just carrying us,\u201d Splitter told The Athletic. \u201cAnd he\u2019s doing it playing a different position.\u201d<\/p>\n As his name recognition has increased throughout the course of this season, Avdija has been conspicuously quiet about his opinions regarding Israel.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be honest: What do people expect me to do?\u201d Avdija told The Athletic. \u201cThis is my country, where I was born, where I grew up. I love my country; there are a lot of great things about my country. But obviously, not everyone is educated and knows what is going on, and that\u2019s what pisses me off.\u201d<\/p>\n \t He continued, \u201cBecause if you are educated and know what is going on, it\u2019s fine to say what you think and say who you think is right or wrong. But if you are not educated and you are not part of the Middle East, and you don\u2019t understand how long this goes back and understand the consequences and everything \u2026 just don\u2019t say anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Avdija left Thursday\u2019s game less than two minutes into the second half, and the team officially ruled him out later in the third quarter.<\/p>\n In post-game remarks, Avdija and Splitter downplayed the injury, saying the Israeli would be playing in Portland\u2019s next game.<\/p>\n He recently missed three consecutive games due to lower-back soreness. He played in each of the team\u2019s first 40 games before the injury. This was his second game back in uniform.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tPortland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, left, drives to the basket as New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby, right, defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. (AP\/Amanda Loman)<\/p>\n
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