Deni Avdija has established himself as Israel's most popular athlete for an extended period. His phenomenal performances in the NBA continue to generate tremendous interest among sports enthusiasts in Israel, who meticulously track his every move and fervently hope for success from his team, the Portland Trail Blazers, currently battling for a play-in tournament position.
Over the past week, while the entire country has been remotely following his remarkable displays on the court, we had the exclusive opportunity to accompany Israeli sports' biggest star for several days in Portland.
This comprehensive journey, which will be fully detailed in an extensive and exclusive interview with Avdija, will be published this coming weekend in a special double issue of "Shishabbat" magazine and on the Israel Hayom website.
Beyond being 'just a basketball player'
This summer, Deni Avdija will don the Israeli national team uniform and attempt to guide the squad to success in EuroBasket. He's expected to collaborate with several leading Israeli basketball players, including Yam Madar, with whom he's previously achieved significant accomplishments in youth competitions.
Avdija maintains a particularly strong connection with national team coach Ariel Beit Halachmi, under whose guidance he won two European Championships at the Under-20 level (2018 and 2019).
"I really love Ariel, he is the leader of this team," he explains. "He gave me a chance and believed in me. He wasn't afraid of my age – it's a privilege to work with such a person."
Q: Do you understand that you are a national pride of an entire nation?
"I really don't know that. I feel like I'm just doing my job. You're embarrassing me, I don't know how to react to that, but that's the truth. I'm a human being, that's my truth.
"I'm happy that people see me beyond a basketball player, because I truly feel that I am beyond 'just a basketball player.' I love to influence people and give back to the community. I love Israel, so I'm happy that people think that way. I know my mom is proud of me, and my family and friends are proud of me, but when you tell me an entire country feels this way – it's moving to know that, honestly."
The full interview will be published over the weekend
