His father was born in Pristina, Avdija: Playing for Israel is the greatest honor
Deni Avdija is an Israeli basketball player who is building a career in the NBA. The 24-year-old, who holds Israeli and Serbian citizenship, plays for Portland. He is the son of former basketball player Zufer Avdija, who was well known in the former Yugoslavia. Zufer Avdija, now 65, was born in Pristina. He is of Gorani ethnicity and has lived in Israel for many decades.
Deni Avdija is an Israeli basketball player who is building a career in the NBA. The 24-year-old, who holds Israeli and Serbian citizenship, plays for Portland. He is the son of former basketball player Zufer Avdija, who was well known in the former Yugoslavia.
Zufer Avdija, now 65, was born in Pristina. He is of Gorani ethnicity and has lived in Israel for many decades. Zufer Avdija began his career with Elektrokosova in Pristina, and in 1979 joined Belgrade’s Crvena Zvezda, where he stayed for a decade. He then played in Israel for a long time.
While in Pristina, he had initially started out at the Ramiz Sadiku football club as a goalkeeper.
Deni Avdija will lead Israel at EuroBasket 2025, which takes place in a few weeks.
“I want to put the NBA aside, because the Israeli national team comes first and is the most important thing right now. And it is the greatest honor a basketball player can have,” Deni Avdija said, according to FIBA’s official website.
“I’m very proud to represent the national team. It’s very important to us, and I think it’s about more than basketball,” Avdija emphasized. His mother is Israeli.
