Deni Avdija Age & Biography

Deni Avdija is a 25-year-old Israeli professional basketball player who plays small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA. The ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Avdija — nicknamed “Turbo” for his fast-paced, aggressive style — broke out in the 2025–26 season, becoming the first player of Israeli descent to be named an NBA All-Star. On November 4, 2026, he posted 21 points and 12 assists in the latest strong night of his breakout campaign.

Quick Facts

Full Name	Deni Avdija
Known For	Portland Trail Blazers small forward; first Israeli NBA All-Star (2026)
Age	25 years old (born January 3, 2001)
Hometown	Beit Zera, Israel
Occupation	Professional Basketball Player
Height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Partner	Not publicly known
Status	Active — Portland Trail Blazers (NBA)

Who Is Deni Avdija?

Deni Avdija is an Israeli professional basketball player who plays small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers. Born on January 3, 2001, in kibbutz Beit Zera, Israel, he is 25 years old and stands 6 feet 8 inches tall. The son of former Yugoslavia international Zufer Avdija, he was a teenage star for Maccabi Tel Aviv before the Washington Wizards selected him ninth overall in the 2020 NBA draft.

Avdija is nicknamed “Turbo” for his fast-paced drive and aggressive playing style. After four seasons in Washington, he was traded to Portland in 2024, where he has become one of the league’s most complete forwards. In the 2025–26 season he averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, was named an NBA All-Star for the first time, and finished third in voting for the NBA Most Improved Player award.

Early Life & Background

Avdija was born in kibbutz Beit Zera in Israel. His mother, Sharon Artzi, is a former track and field and basketball player, and his father, Zufer Avdija, is a former professional basketball player of Gorani heritage who represented Yugoslavia and captained Crvena zvezda in the 1980s before moving to Israel. Avdija played association football until fourth grade, when he switched to basketball with his hometown club Bnei Herzliya, joining Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2013.

Avdija excelled as a youth player, leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to three consecutive Israeli youth state championships from 2017 to 2019 and winning MVP honors at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in 2018 and the Global Camp in 2019. He debuted for Maccabi’s senior team in 2017 at age 16 — the youngest player ever to play for the club — and two years later became the youngest player ever to win the Israeli League MVP award. He also won two gold medals for Israel at the FIBA Under-20 European Championship, earning tournament MVP in 2019 after averaging 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.

Deni Avdija’s Maccabi, Wizards and Trail Blazers Career

Avdija signed a six-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv in November 2017 and made his professional debut later that month at 16 years and 320 days old. He won three consecutive Israeli League championships with the club from 2018 to 2020, was named Israeli League MVP in 2020 after averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, and had a dunk over Luigi Datome named the EuroLeague Magic Moment of the Season.

The Washington Wizards selected Avdija with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He signed a four-year, $55 million contract extension in October 2023, and on February 14, 2024, he posted a career-high 43 points with 15 rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans. He finished the 2023–24 season averaging 14.7 points per game — career highs across every major statistical category.

On July 6, 2024, Avdija was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He recorded his first career triple-double on March 2, 2025, with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 2025–26 season, he broke out as a star: he averaged 25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists over the first third of the season, was named NBA Player of the Week for Week 11, scored a season-high 41 points in a 103–102 win over the Houston Rockets on January 7, 2026, and was named to his first All-Star Game on February 1, 2026 — the first player of Israeli descent to become an NBA All-Star. On April 14, 2026, he scored 41 points with 12 assists in a play-in win over the Phoenix Suns that clinched the No. 7 seed, and he finished third in voting for the NBA Most Improved Player award. On November 4, 2026, he posted 21 points and 12 assists for the Trail Blazers.

Off the court, Avdija holds dual citizenship of Israel and Serbia. In November 2025, he launched Turbo, a protein ice cream brand named after his nickname.

Facts About Deni Avdija

• He is nicknamed “Turbo” for his fast-paced drive and aggressive playing style.
• He became the first player of Israeli descent to be named an NBA All-Star, in 2026.
• He debuted for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s senior team at 16 — the youngest player in club history.
• He won MVP at the 2019 FIBA Under-20 European Championship after leading Israel to gold.
• In November 2025, he launched Turbo, a protein ice cream brand named after his nickname.

Frequently Asked Questions

Deni Avdija’s journey from a 16-year-old debutant at Maccabi Tel Aviv to the first Israeli NBA All-Star is one of the great development stories in the league. At 25, with a breakout season and an All-Star selection behind him, the Trail Blazers forward looks like a star for years to come.

See also: Darius Acuff Jr. and Keyonte George, plus the More Trending Profiles page for more of the latest trending stars.