Tag: Israel

But no prospect from the country has been as highly regarded as Avdija. When he walks downstairs into the team’s museum, he is struck by the history. “I’m serving my country for basketball,” he says. “It’s something that every kid dreams of.” Maccabi Tel Aviv is readying to host ASVEL Basket, the French EuroLeague team owned in part by Spurs legend Tony Parker. A handful of NBA personnel are in attendance—a standard occurrence at Maccabi games. But they are there not just to see Avdija, but also Théo Maledon, a heralded 18-year-old point guard who is among Europe’s top NBA prospects.

Throughout the night the team’s rowdiest section, known as the Gate—Hashaar in Hebrew—leads the 10,000-plus fans in chants. On the bench Avdija volleys questions at the teammates who cycle through the seats next to him. He leans into huddles during timeouts. For the entire second half, he doesn’t wear a warm-up top, as if to say, I’m ready. “He’s figuring out his place, he’s figuring out his rhythm,” Tarik Black, a Maccabi center and NBA veteran, says in the locker room afterward. Before EuroLeague play was suspended in March, Avdija was averaging 4.0 points and 14.3 minutes in 26 games. If his minutes are limited in consecutive games, he’ll practice twice in one day, putting in the extra work. “That’s how I recover,” he says.

NBA prospect Deni Avdija sets new career high vs Hapoel Eilat. Avdija had 26 points and 6 rebounds, shooting 9/12 from the field and 5/13 from the foul line.