Freed from a supporting role, Deni Avdija found his rhythm—and emerged as the Blazers’ most reliable force on both ends of the court.

By HOWARD BLAS APRIL 18, 2025 04:16

View the original article in the Jerusalem Post

There was no singular moment that defined Deni Avdija’s fourth NBA season. No viral dunk or buzzer-beater that rocketed him into superstardom overnight.

Instead, what unfolded over the course of the 2024/25 campaign was something rarer – a slow-burning, month-over-month evolution that turned heads across the league and marked the 23-year-old Israeli forward’s transformation from a solid contributor into a genuine cornerstone.

The numbers paint the picture clearly. Before the All-Star break, Avdija averaged a respectable 14.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game – all career highs at the time. But something changed after mid-February. Over the final stretch of the season, his production soared: 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. The leap was real – and undeniable.

For those watching closely, the breakout wasn’t just statistical. It was in the way Avdija carried himself. He attacked mismatches with confidence, became a more decisive ball handler, and defended with the same grit that had defined his early years – only now, with a more complete offensive package to match.

Proving his power

“People always talk about potential,” Avdija said one night in New York, speaking to a group of reporters after a loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “But I feel like this year, I didn’t want to just show flashes. I wanted to prove I could do it consistently, night in and night out.”

That night – a 26-point, 14-rebound, 4-assist performance – felt like a culmination of all he’d been building toward. The Blazers lost the game in overtime, but Avdija was the best player on the floor for stretches, holding his own in one of basketball’s most iconic arenas.

“I know this is a special place, and I wanted to show what I can do,” he said. “It means a lot to me to perform here.”

Avdija’s breakout couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time for the Portland Trail Blazers. After trading away franchise icon Damian Lillard in 2023 and officially entering a rebuild, the Blazers were desperate for young players to take a leap. They had promising talent in rookie guard Scoot Henderson and athletic wing Shaedon Sharpe, but it was Avdija – acquired in a preseason trade from the Washington Wizards – who quickly became the team’s most consistent presence.

Freed from the role-player confines of Washington, where he was often the fourth or fifth option behind Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis, Avdija stepped into the Portland lineup with a green light he had never known before.

“From day one, the coaching staff just told me to be aggressive,” Avdija said. “That trust, that freedom… it made all the difference. I wasn’t looking over my shoulder every time I took a shot.”

He responded with career-best performances across the board – setting new personal highs in points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, and usage rate. He also shot over 38% from three after the All-Star break, up from just under 31% before.

The transformation wasn’t just mental – it was physical too. Avdija spent the summer prior to the season adding strength and refining his handle. The work paid off, allowing him to play through contact, initiate offense, and bully smaller defenders in the post.

The night at Madison Square Garden was emblematic of his rise – a national stage, a hungry Knicks crowd, and a competitive game that came down to the wire. And through it all, there was Avdija, unflinching.

“When you play here, you know the lights are brighter,” he said with a grin after the game. “But that’s what you dream about as a kid – big arenas, big moments. I didn’t feel pressure. I felt energy.”

He had 10 points in the fourth quarter alone, helping the Blazers claw back from a double-digit deficit and forcing overtime. Though Portland ultimately fell short, Avdija’s performance was a statement: he belonged in these moments, and he could lead.

“Deni was incredible tonight,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “That’s the kind of competitor he is. He gives us everything – on both ends.”

What made Avdija’s season more impressive was his ability to lead amid adversity. The Blazers were one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and the losses piled up quickly – especially as injuries sidelined key players like Sharpe and Deandre Ayton for stretches.

Through it all, Avdija remained a stabilizing force. He played in 77 of Portland’s 82 games, often guarding the opposing team’s best scorer while also shouldering more offensive responsibility than ever before.

“He doesn’t take nights off,” veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon said. “That’s what I respect most about him. You can see he wants it.”

His leadership wasn’t loud or performative. It was quiet, steady, built on work ethic and presence. Young teammates looked to him in huddles. Coaches leaned on him during chaotic stretches. Fans embraced him as one of the few bright spots in a difficult season.

While Avdija has always carried the weight of being the highest Israeli draft pick in NBA history – selected ninth overall in 2020 – this year felt like the first time he fully embraced the responsibility that comes with that.

He spoke openly throughout the season about representing Israel during a complicated time back home. In interviews, he balanced pride with perspective, often deflecting attention away from himself and toward his role as a cultural ambassador.

“I know a lot of kids are watching me – not just for basketball, but for how I carry myself,” he said. “That’s something I take seriously.”

In return, Israeli fans followed every box score, every highlight, every breakout performance. His postgame interview at MSG – where he switched between English and Hebrew – went viral in Israel. When he waved to a section of Israeli fans in the crowd after the game, it was clear how much the moment meant on both sides.

“I saw them,” he said with a smile. “It gives me chills, honestly.”

The Blazers finished the season with a 24–58 record – well outside the playoff picture – but the front office now has a clearer vision of the future. And at the center of it is a 6-foot-9 playmaking forward who just completed one of the league’s most impressive post-All-Star surges.

“I’m just getting started,” Avdija said in his final media availability of the season. “I’ve always known what I can do. Now other people are starting to see it too.”

He’ll enter the offseason with momentum, confidence, and perhaps – for the first time – a team fully committed to building around him. While Scoot Henderson may still be the long-term point guard of the future, it’s Avdija who has shown the highest floor and perhaps the most untapped ceiling.

His improved three-point shooting, ability to rebound and push the pace, and versatile defense make him a rare two-way wing in a league that covets exactly that.

“Deni’s game has matured,” Billups said. “He’s not forcing it. He’s letting the game come to him – and when it does, he knows exactly what to do with it.”

Four years into his NBA journey, Deni Avdija is no longer the raw teenager who arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv full of promise. He’s bigger, smarter, more poised – and, most importantly, confident in his ability to lead.

“Being in the league, you grow up fast,” Avdija said. “You learn how to fight through tough nights, how to bounce back. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve failed a lot. And I’ve grown a lot.”

This season wasn’t just a breakout. It was a foundation.

And if the second half of 2024/25 is any indication, the best is still to come.