Deni Avdija has been the face of the Portland Trail Blazers this season in Damian Lillard’s absence. The small forward is enjoying his career-best campaign. And his journey from the small city of Beit Zera to the NBA is nothing short of inspiring. Avdija’s journey from Maccabi Tel Aviv to the NBA is one of great sacrifice.

Nicknamed ‘Turbo’ for his aggressive and fast-paced drives to the rim, Avdija, in all probability, will feature in the All-Star selections this season. Across 34 games, he is averaging 25.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists while shooting 46.6% from the field. With every performance and every win, he is becoming the main man for the Portland Trail Blazers. Grown into a strong sports family, Advija’s journey from Beit Zara to the NBA is a testament to his parents’ unwavering support and guidance during his formative years.

Who is Deni Avdija’s father, Zufer Avdija?

Deni Avdija’s father, Zufer Avdija, comes from a strong basketball background. Zufer is currently the general manager and president of basketball operations at Bnei Herzliya, a central Israeli club featuring in the top-tier basketball league of the country.

The 66-year-old was also a former basketball player who played at the highest level for Yugoslavia. He featured for the Yugoslavia National Basketball Team, which won the bronze medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship. Apart from that, he also played for several top clubs, including Crvena zvezda, Ramat HaSharon, Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Elitzur Bat Yam during the 1980s.

He also won the gold medal with Yugoslavia at the 1983 Mediterranean Games, which were held in Morocco.

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Zufer Avdija was born in Pristina, Kosovo, in Serbia, back then it was a part of Yugoslavia. Therefore, Deni Avdija could have also represented Serbia given his father’s background.

Who is Deni Avdija’s mother, Sharon Artzi?

Deni Avdija’s mother, Sharon Artzi, was a basketball player and a track and field athlete. So it is clear where Deni’s athleticism and explosiveness come from. Sharon, along with Zufer, played a big role in helping Deni pick up a sport from a very young age. Apart from familial support, she also sparked the passion for the game, which buoyed him to represent the Israel national team and also made it to the NBA.

What ethnicity are Deni Avdija’s parents?

Deni Avdija’s basketball journey is fueled by diverse cultural influences and a supportive upbringing by his parents, Sharon Artzi and Zufer Avdija.

His father, Zufer, is of Gorani descent and was born in Serbia, which was a part of Yugoslavia back in 1959. Meanwhile, his mother, Sharon, is an Israeli jew. The combination of cultural influences and family encouragement provided him with a solid foundation for Deni’s success at the highest level.

He chose to play for Israel despite having an option to play for Serbia because he was more comfortable with the language and had more friends there. “I am very proud to represent the (Israel) national team. It is very important for us, and I think it is more than basketball,” Avdija emphasized.

Starting at 16 years of age, Avdija became the youngest player to join Maccabi’s senior team, and courtesy of his influence, they won three consecutive Israeli Premier League titles between 2018 and 2020. His heroics in 2020 saw him win the MVP award. The Washington Wizards drafted him during the 2020 NBA Draft as the ninth overall pick. After four seasons at Washington, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2024.

Do Deni Avdija’s have siblings?

There is no official confirmation about Deni Avdija’s siblings. However, he has a half-brother and a half-sister named Iva and Andrej from his father, Zuber Avdija’s first marriage.

Deni Avdija’s relationship with his parents

Given that both of Deni’s parents come from basketball and sports backgrounds, their support throughout his journey from Israel to the NBA has been unwavering. His father, Zufer, has been showing silent support towards Deni from his days at Maccabi Tel Aviv. He would often sit in the arena’s top row, watching and analyzing his son’s plays.

Their support remained constant even during his NBA days, as they are often seen at the arena whenever he turns up for Portland. Currently, he has come a long way, and he is dominating the NBA this season. Given that he was only the third Israeli to land an NBA deal, it is groundbreaking, and it will only motivate more players from the region to make it to this level in the future.