Credit: Dov Halickman

In FIBA EuroBasket U20 history, only three nations have won back-to-back titles: Serbia (2007-08), Israel (2018-19), and France (2023-24). Israel’s consecutive wins featured the emergence of Deni Avdija, who would go on to become one of Europe’s brightest prospects.

The Portland Trail Blazers wingman made his mark early, earning a spot on the U20 All-Star Five in 2018 and MVP honors in 2019 with averages of 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. In the 2019 final against Spain, Avdija dominated with 23 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds, cementing his status as a future NBA talent.

Ariel Beit-Halahmi, Israel’s head coach at EuroBasket 2025 and coach of that U20 team, reflected on Avdija’s rise: “Since he was young, Deni has been a very talented and gifted athlete. You could tell that he was going to be great. It was just a matter of time before he would grow up as a person and as a player. It’s beautiful to see the way that he’s grown up and become the player that he is right now. He’s a great person, very humble.”

Avdija’s former U20 teammate and current senior teammate Yam Madar praised his leadership: “Deni knows how to lead and speak with different people. He has the mindset of a winner. He knows how to adjust to the situations and different players on the court. His professionalism is on another level. He really knows what he wants to do. We trust him, he’s our leader.”

Reflecting on the team’s dynamics, Beit-Halahmi added: “Deni is one of our main guys, but we have veteran players who are experienced, and it’s not only one guy or one leader. We want to make everybody feel involved. This is our way of achieving something.”

Avdija himself remains focused on growth and individuality: “#8 is infinity, and I think there’s no limit to where I can reach. That’s why I wear it. I always wanted to be Deni. I always wanted to have something special in my game. I didn’t really want to take somebody else’s game. I just wanted to have my own kind of style and pace. I think I managed to do that because, honestly, I think my game is unique.”

Since joining the Trail Blazers, Avdija has continued to improve, averaging career highs of 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists last season.

Beit-Halahmi praised his growth: “Basically, he’s getting better day to day. Last season in Portland, he was a star, and we’re very proud of him. What you saw last season, this is Deni. He’s a gifted basketball player, and he’s one of our best players.”

Madar echoed the sentiment: “I feel like the game really slowed down for him last year. I believe that in the next three, four years, he will really make his mark in the NBA and really be something special over there. He’s really dedicated to what he’s doing. He’s only 24 right now, so he’s really young, and his upside is crazy. I believe he will really soon become the best basketball player the Israeli national team has ever had.”

Avdija embraces the responsibility: “I’ve grown as a basketball player, being able to deal with pressure, with late-game situations, and being more of a leader. I grew in a lot of aspects of basketball-wise, but I think the biggest aspect is just growing as a person and being able to take more responsibility. I like to represent my country. I like to talk about things that I do for the younger generations to see, understand the work ethic, and what it takes to be at the highest level.”

With his combination of talent, leadership, and maturity, Israel is counting on Avdija to guide them to success at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR