The son of former basketball player Zufer Avdija, he started playing basketball in the fourth grade for his hometown club Bnei Herzliya Basket, and then in 2013 for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He excelled as a youth player. He debuted for their senior team in 2017, at age 16, becoming the youngest player in club history. Two years later, he became the youngest player to ever win the Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP award, and led his team to the Israeli Basketball Premier League championship.
Deni Avdija played association football until he entered fourth grade, when his friend and teammate convinced him to try basketball because of his height. He started focusing more on basketball. In 2013, he joined the youth ranks of Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he played under the coach Shai Omer.[6] From 2017 to 2019, Avdija led Maccabi Tel Aviv to three consecutive Israeli youth state championships.[7] In August 2018, he participated in Basketball Without Borders Europe in Belgrade, where he was named camp MVP.[8][9]
Avdija initially competed at the youth level for Bnei Herzliya, and in January 2019, Avdija played for Maccabi Tel Aviv's U18 team at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) in Munich. He was selected to the all-tournament team after leading the event with 24.3 points, 6 assists, and 3.8 steals per game and a Performance Index Rating (PIR) of 31.5. Avdija also ranked second among all players with 11 rebounds per game, while helping his team finish in second place.[10] In February 2019, at the NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, Avdija was named MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp.[11] In May, he joined Maccabi Tel Aviv's U18 team for the ANGT Finals. He collected all-tournament team honours after leading the event with 24.7 points and 12 rebounds per game with a PIR of 29.7, while ranking second with 6.7 assists per game.[12]
Professional career
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2017–2020)
On 5 November 2017, Avdija started his professional career with Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, signing a six-year deal with the club.[13] On 19 November, he made his professional debut in the 2017–18 Israeli Basketball Premier League, playing three minutes against Ironi Nes Ziona. At 16 years and 320 days of age, he became the youngest player to ever play for his club's senior team.[14][15] Avdija made his EuroLeague debut on 22 November 2018, at the age of 17, in a 74–70 loss to Fenerbahçe. He scored two points in three minutes of playing time.[16]
On 24 October 2019, at the age of 18, Avdija made his first start in the EuroLeague, recording six points and three rebounds in 16 minutes in a 76–63 victory over Valencia.[17] On 11 January 2020, Avdija recorded a then career-high of 22 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field, with five assists in a 94–83 win over Hapoel Holon.[18] On 31 January, Avdija was named Israeli Player of the Month in the Israeli Basketball Premier League after averaging 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, with an 18.3 PIR, in four games played that month.[19] On 1 February, Avdija established a new career-high of 26 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field, and grabbed six rebounds in an 86–81 loss to Hapoel Eilat.[20] Six days later, he scored 13 points, including eight in the second quarter, in a 78–77 victory over Fenerbahçe.[21] His dunk over Luigi Datome during the game would be named EuroLeague Magic Moment of the Season in July 2020.[22] On 16 April, Avdija declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[23]
Avdija's season was suspended for about three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to action on 21 June, recording 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 24 minutes in a 114–82 win over Maccabi Ashdod.[24] On 23 July, he scored 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and grabbed 10 rebounds in an 83–68 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv, helping Maccabi Tel Aviv advance to the Israeli Basketball Premier League Final Four.[25] In the Final on 28 July, Avdija recorded five points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals to help Maccabi Tel Aviv defeat Maccabi Rishon LeZion, 86–81.[26] He became the youngest player to ever win the Israeli League MVP award.[27] Avdija was also named Israeli League Israeli Player of the Year and was an All-Israeli League First Team selection.[28] He finished the season averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. In the EuroLeague, Avdija averaged four points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 14.3 minutes per game.[29]
Washington Wizards (2020–2024)
Avdija attempts a midrange shot in October 2021
Avdija was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards.[30][31] He was projected as a consensus top 5 pick on draft night but slipped.[32] He signed a rookie contract with the Wizards on 1 December 2020.[33][34]
On 9 January 2021, Avdija recorded a then-career-high 20 points and five three-pointers, along with five rebounds, five assists, and two steals in a 128–124 loss to the Miami Heat.[35] On 21 April, Avdija suffered a right ankle fracture during a 118–114 win against the Golden State Warriors.[36][37]
On 14 February 2022, Avdija set a then career high in rebounds with 15 in a 103–94 loss to the Detroit Pistons.[38] During the 2021–22 season, Avdija played all 82 games while averaging 8.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.[39]
On 11 January 2023, Avdija set a new career high in rebounds with 20 in a 100–97 win against the Chicago Bulls.[40] On 30 January 2023, Avdija set a then career high in points with 25 in a 127–109 win against the San Antonio Spurs.[41]
On 14 February 2024, Avdija posted a new career high in points with 43, along with 15 rebounds, in a 133–126 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[42]
Although he had also been eligible to represent Serbia internationally, due to his father's background, Avdija chose to play for Israel because he had friends there and was more familiar with its language.[44] He competed for Israel at the 2017 FIBA U16 European Championship in Podgorica. Avdija led the tournament with 12.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, to go with 15.3 points per game.[45][46]
In July 2019, Avdija led Israel to a second straight gold medal at the FIBA U20 European Championship in Tel Aviv. He averaged 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 2.1 steals per game, earning MVP and all-tournament team accolades, as the second-youngest player at the event.[3][51] Avdija tallied 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals against France in the semifinal, before recording 23 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Spain in the final.[52][53]
His free throw shooting is not as strong as his otherwise versatile game; in 59 games for Maccabi, he averaged 59% from the free throw line and 33% from the 3-point zone.[56]
Avdija holds dual citizenship of Israel and Serbia, the latter because his father is a citizen.[44][59] When he turned 18 years old, he received a deferment from mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) due to his basketball career.[58] On 1 April 2020, while the basketball season was suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Avdija was drafted into the IDF for a short service.[60] After a series of terrorist attacks in Israel in early 2022, Avdija wrote the Jewish solidarity phrase "Am Yisrael Chai" in Hebrew on his shoes.[61]
He has said he learned to speak English by playing video games, as well as by watching Nickelodeon sitcoms.[62]