The Athletic's Player Rankings Omit Dani Avdija, Sparking Debate
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Israeli NBA player Dani Avdija was excluded from The Athletic's recent player rankings for the 2026-27 season, despite a career-best performance last year. Avdija averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, and was an All-Star. Yahoo Sports criticized the omission, praising Avdija's skills and impact, while acknowledging areas for improvement.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Dani Avdija was excluded from The Athletic's 2026-27 NBA player rankings.
- Avdija had a career-best season, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.
- He was an NBA All-Star and a finalist for Most Improved Player.
- Yahoo Sports criticized the omission, calling it a "bizarre" and "missed" evaluation.
- Players like Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram were ranked, while Avdija was not.
Despite a career-best season in which he became a star for the Portland Trail Blazers, Israeli NBA player Dani Avdija was notably excluded from The Athletic's latest player rankings for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Avdija averaged 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game last season, earning his first All-Star selection and finishing as a top-three finalist for the Most Improved Player award. However, The Athletic did not include him in any of their rankings, while players like Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, and Norman Powell were listed.
In contrast, Yahoo Sports defended Avdija, criticizing The Athletic's omission. A Yahoo Sports article stated it was "hard to ignore this bizarre omission given the season Avdija just delivered." The outlet praised Avdija's combination of size, strength, and playmaking, noting his ability to handle the ball on fast breaks, finish through contact, and serve as a primary offensive option. While acknowledging that Avdija could improve his three-point shooting consistency and ball security, Yahoo Sports emphasized that these weaknesses should not overshadow his significant progress and impact last season.
Yahoo Sports concluded that Avdija was unfairly overlooked in The Athletic's rankings, calling the exclusion a "miss" after his performance. They noted that player rankings are subjective but suggested that leaving Avdija out of the discussion entirely felt like a mistake.
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