By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
From five points and two assists against the Stars to a scoreless showing against the Stripes, Deni Avdija finished with two losing efforts for Team World in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. Suiting up for Sunday’s game at the Intuit Dome, the 25-year-old forward became the first Israeli to play in the annual event.
“First of all, it was a long weekend,” he explained in a postgame press conference. “The first game was good, like we had a chance to warm up. The second game, we just went out on the court immediately. So that was a little rough.”
“But it was a competitive game. People really brought it. I was happy. I was just playing, trying to do the best I can,” he added.
The general player reaction was positive, including Avdija’s.
“For sure, I think it was competitive. People really brought their effort and tried to play hard. Some players took more shots than others, so you can’t really control that,” he said. “You’re just out there trying to compete. We don’t play together all the time, so we’re trying to figure each other out. But we tried. Yeah, it was fun.”
The Israeli superstar also discussed the competitive approach of France’s Victor Wembanyama.
“We saw that Victor was really competitive, so we tried to give him the ball and let him go to work, man, because we saw he was really into it,” he mentioned. “We were just there for each other, honestly. Victor was cooking. He was playing good. Just feed him the ball. It’s fine.”
Furthermore, Avdija was impressed by the veteran-heavy Stripes.
“It brought more out of the Stripes, actually,” he humorously pointed out. “They were going at it.”
“I think it brought some competitiveness with it, and it’s a fun format. It shows how the game has gone global, which is amazing to see,” continued the Portland Trail Blazers player. “I hope it’s even going to expand, and people begin to understand that it’s fun watching the All-Star Game.”
He was also asked to reflect on the All-Star weekend as a whole.
“It was hectic, but it was fun,” he responded. “I was really enjoying the experience. Especially when it’s your first time, you embrace everything a little better. But I hope I can be here for many years to come. Yeah, it wasn’t so bad.”
So far in the 2025-26 Regular Season with the Blazers, Avdija has tallied 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.6 steals per contest.