US Media Questions Why Deni Avdija Was Omitted From NBA Rankings
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Yahoo Sports journalist Brogan E. Noei criticized The Athletic for omitting Israeli NBA player Deni Avdija from a recent analysis of player statuses. Avdija is coming off his best season, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, and was an All-Star. Noei argued that Avdija's omission was a miss, especially when other players like Julius Randle were included in the discussion.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yahoo Sports criticized The Athletic for excluding Deni Avdija from a recent NBA player analysis.
- Avdija is coming off his best NBA season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- He averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in the 2025-26 season.
- Avdija was also selected to his first NBA All-Star game and was a Most Improved Player finalist.
- Journalist Brogan E. Noei called Avdija's omission a "miss" given his performance.
An Israeli journalist writing for Yahoo Sports has criticized a recent analysis by The Athletic which failed to mention NBA player Deni Avdija in its discussion of rising and falling player statuses. The Athletic's April ranking had categorized 125 players into five tiers, with 30 in the top two. A follow-up piece by Lou Murray examined players who might improve or decline, but Avdija was notably absent, even as players like Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Norman Powell, and Paul George were discussed.
Yahoo Sports journalist Brogan E. Noei argued that Avdija, who is coming off his best NBA season with the Portland Trail Blazers, deserved recognition. Noei highlighted Avdija's impressive statistics from the 2025-26 season, where he averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, earned his first All-Star selection, and was a finalist for the Most Improved Player award. The article described Avdija's development into one of the league's most effective forwards and a significant success for the Trail Blazers since his trade from Washington in the summer of 2024.
Noei praised Avdija's offensive versatility, noting his ability to shoot from all ranges, attack the basket, and create for teammates. His size, strength, and playmaking skills were cited as making him a difficult matchup for opposing defenses, capable of leading fast breaks and acting as a primary offensive option. The article acknowledged that Avdija still needs to improve his outside shooting consistency and ball security but stressed these weaknesses should not overshadow his significant progress and impact.
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