Deni Avdija Climbs ESPN's NBA Player Rankings to Career-High 27th

ESPN's latest NBA player rankings, released Wednesday with less than a month until the 2026-27 season, place Israeli forward Deni Avdija at a career-best 27th. This marks a significant jump from his previous ranking of 66th.

The methodology for this year's rankings differed, with a panel of seven ESPN experts determining the list instead of a broader vote. Players were ranked based on their projected contribution for the 2026-27 season, considering both skill level and expected impact.

ESPN's Ben Golliver highlighted Avdija's rapid ascent since his trade from the Wizards to the Trail Blazers in 2024. Golliver noted Avdija's breakout 2025-26 season, which included career highs in points, Player Efficiency Rating (PER), and Win Shares, leading to his first All-Star appearance and guiding Portland to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Avdija is also projected to be one of the NBA's most valuable players in 2026-27, with his relatively low salary of $13.1 million falling below the Mid-Level Exception (MLE).

Further underscoring his improved performance, Avdija ranked fourth in the NBA last season in fouls drawn, particularly excelling at drawing contact in the paint. According to Genius IQ data cited by ESPN, he drew 267 fouls in the paint, second only to Paolo Banchero's 275.

Avdija's new ranking places him above notable players such as Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Pascal Siakam, and Anthony Davis. In related news, LeBron James fell out of the top 10 for the first time since the 2011-12 season, landing at 18th, a drop of 10 spots. Other stars like Jaylen Brown, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant also remained outside the top 10.