Israeli NBA Star Deni Avdija Rockets Up ESPN Player Rankings
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Israeli NBA player Deni Avdija has climbed to 27th in ESPN's preseason player rankings, a significant leap from 66th last year. He achieved personal bests last season and helped his team reach the playoffs.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Deni Avdija ranked 27th in ESPN's top NBA players list.
- This is a major jump from his previous 66th ranking.
- Avdija set personal records in scoring and efficiency last season.
- He was the first Israeli NBA All-Star and helped his team make playoffs.
- His contract is considered very team-friendly for future seasons.
With less than a month until the NBA regular season begins, ESPN has started releasing its rankings of the top players for the upcoming season. The initial release covers players ranked from 50th to 11th. Israeli forward Deni Avdija, playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, has secured the 27th spot on this list. This marks a significant jump from his 66th position in the rankings prior to last season. ESPN noted that Avdija's rapid improvement was largely unexpected, especially following his trade from the Washington Wizards in 2024. Last season, he achieved personal bests in scoring, Player Efficiency Rating (PER), and Win Shares. Avdija also made history as the first Israeli to play in the NBA All-Star Game and was instrumental in leading the Trail Blazers to their first playoff appearance in five years. His contract is projected to be highly favorable, with a salary of $13.1 million in the 2026-27 season, which is less than the mid-level exception amount, making him a potentially valuable asset. Notably, Avdija ranked fourth in the NBA last season for fouls drawn in the paint, with 267, trailing only Paolo Banchero's 275, according to GeniusIQ data.
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