Deni Avdija places seventh in NBA All-Star Game voting, continuing breakout season |
As Deni Avdija has embarked on the best season of his NBA career, racking up praise and milestones, one question keeps arising: Will he be the first Israeli All-Star ever?
On Monday, another sign emerged that the answer could be yes.
In the first round of voting for the All-Star Game, which will tip off February 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, the Portland Trail Blazers forward placed seventh in the Western Conference, garnering more than 600,000 votes.
That was enough to place him ahead of NBA icons like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, who’s still on the court at age 41. The top vote-getters in the West were Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Steph Curry, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson topped the Eastern Conference tally.
It’s the latest highlight in a banner year for Avdija, 24, who is averaging above 25 points per game, more than double his career average and enough to be the Blazers’ leading scorer.
On Monday night, Avdija scored 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, narrowly missing out on a triple-double in Portland’s 125-122 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Earlier this month, Avdija passed Omri Casspi to become