By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Portland Trail Blazers star and Israeli international Deni Avdija shared his thoughts for Mundo Deportivo on the idea of an NBA European league.
Avdija spent three years playing professionally in Europe for Maccabi Tel Aviv, amassing 34 EuroLeague appearances before joining the NBA in 2020, when he was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards. With solid experience on both sides of the Atlantic, his opinion carries weight.
“I don’t really go into the idea or what’s going to happen. I’m just happy that the game is expanding. I just hope it doesn’t ruin anything in Europe. You know, there are some authentic things in Europe that you don’t want to take away, and I just hope it brings more fans but that the competition remains the same,” said Avdija, who knows well what the lively environments of the EuroLeague are like.
He expressed a view similar to Jusuf Nurkić’s, who also doesn’t want European basketball to risk losing its essence with this potential new league.
“For me, it’s very hard to say because I was a EuroLeague player and I know what it’s like to play in the EuroLeague. I think you can definitely improve the EuroLeague and how the league is played. But I just hope that whatever happens, it doesn’t cause chaos,” the Trail Blazers‘ European star concluded.
Deni Avdija is having a great season in Oregon, averaging 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.