- Kobe.
LeBron.
Kawhi.
Giannis.
Deni?
Is the next big name in basketball, a skinny, 19 year old from a country
only slightly larger than one of Shaq's sneakers that has produced...
let me see...
uh, zero NBA all stars?
How did Deni Avdija go from being mostly a benchwarmer, to suddenly
becoming one of the top prospects of the upcoming 2020 NBA draft.
As far as shooting hoops goes, let's not sell Israel short.
The country of just under 9 million has had promising basketball exports.
Nadav Henefeld, Doron Sheffer, Gal Mekel, and most notably–11 year NBA
veteran Omri Casspi, who went 23rd in the first round of the 2009 draft.
But none of them generated buzz like Deni.
- So can we get a last name, uh, clarification?
- Avija, Avia.
What is it again, guys?
What is it, Kyle?
- The 6-foot-9, 215 pound wing is ESPN's top small forward and number 5 overall
prospect in the 2020 draft class.
NBA analysts, scouts, and general managers who've racked up some
serious miles to see Deni play are comparing him to the Dallas Mavericks'
Luka Dončić, a flashy Slovenian born player, taking the league
by storm in just his second year.
But Deni hasn't seen much court time with Maccabi Tel
Aviv until this past season.
I mean, he's a teenager.
So what's all the fuss about?
Born in 2001 in Beit Zera, a tiny kibbutz with a population
of less than 600, Denny has basketball in his blood.
His dad Zufer–a Muslim Serb from Kosovo, played pro ball
in Yugoslavia in the eighties.
In 1982, he went toe-to-toe with a young Michael Jordan, when the
UNC Tar Heels played an exhibition game against Red Star Belgrade.
Nicknamed "Killer" for his intensity.
Zufer took his talents to the Holy land in the nineties and enjoyed
success playing in the Israeli league.
Off the court, he married Jewish Israeli Sharon Artzi,
a fellow basketball player, and a track and field athlete.
With two high caliber athletes for parents, it's no surprise
Deni took to basketball early.
He joined Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth team at age 12, then signed
with the pro team at age 16.
And it didn't take long for Deni to get noticed outside of Israel.
Holding dual Israeli Serbian citizenship.
DenI had the option to play for Serbia's junior national team.
Unlike Israel, Serbia has produced countless NBA players, such as
Denver nuggets all-star Nikola Jokić, and hall-of-famer Vlade Divac.
But at 17, he opted to lead the Israeli junior national team instead.
Why?
Well, for a very 17-year-old-kid reason:
Israel is where his friends were.
It was the right call.
At the FIBA 2018 Under 20 European Championship ,
Deni led Israel to the gold.
But back at Maccabi Tel Aviv, playing against seasoned pros, Deni
struggled to even get on the floor.
In his first two seasons playing in Israel's top league, Deni
averaged less than 10 minutes played per game, but his gold
winning performance at the 2018 Under 20 Championships, put him
squarely on the radar of NBA Scouts.
And with Israel hosting the 2019 Under 20s, Deni took it to the next
level in front of the home fans.
Not only did he lead Israel to gold for the second year in a row, he
averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game on his way to being named the
youngest MVP in tournament history.
Of that experience Deni recalled that "winning at home in front of
the nation of Israel, with the whole home crowd that was there, there was
no higher emotional peak than that."
In the Israeli Premier League, Deni started to make
strides this past season.
He was named Player of the Month in January 2020, averaging 14.5 points,
5 rebounds and 2.5 Assists per game.
He also had his two best career Euroleague games in early February,
including a posterizing dunk over ex-NBA player Luigi Datome.
But when the season came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19, Deni
had a decision to make: stay in Israel, or head to the NBA.
A projected top pick in the NBA draft, Deni decided it was time
for a challenge playing in the best basketball league on earth.
- Still even the pride of Israeli hoops has his doubters ,critics point
to inconsistent outside shooting, and less than stellar athleticism.
But most Scouts, salivate over Deni's size, undeniable
versatility, and high potential.
His work ethic is what got him noticed in NBA circles too.
After their 2019 Under 20 European Championship quarterfinal win
against Lithuania, Deni stayed back to work on his free throws, as his
teammates were out celebrating.
Stories like that have Scouts believing Deni can
reach his full potential.
But NBA stardom isn't just about talent and work ethic.
The top players in the NBA do more than just play–they entertain.
Deni seems to have that box check too, whether it's grabbing the mic
and singing with an Israeli pop band on stage, confident smack talk
with his older American teammates, or posing for endless selfies,
Deni appears ready for stardom.
Nobody's saying it's going to be easy or as Tal Brody, the godfather of
Israeli basketball, was known Deni for years put it:
No pressure, Deni.
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