The Portland Trail Blazers have had an up-and-down start to their 2025-26 season, but forward Deni Avdija has blazed brightly throughout. Averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, Avdija is in legitimate
discussion for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. But his contributions have gone beyond that. Avdija has assumed Portland’s point guard duties in the absence of teammates due to injury. He’s also helped key the Blazers defense.
Those contributions are getting national attention too. Today Fred Katz of The Athletic mentioned Avdija among the 5 Most Improved Players in the NBA [subscription required], comparing the forward with Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren and Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey.
Of Avdija, Katz said:
Avdija and Josh Giddey are both filling up box scores, running breaks and engineering two of the NBA’s fastest offenses. In each case, it’s working. Both are on teams exceeding expectations. Both are dwarfing their counting stats from last season — after both exploded in the final few weeks of 2024-25, showing glimpses of what was to come.
Katz continued, delving into specifics:
Avdija is defending big wings. He’s a one-man fast break, an unrelenting raider of the middle. Not many forwards are more physical. Only the persistent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has driven to the rim more times this season than Avdija, per Second Spectrum. He’s refined the game’s subtleties, like this over-the-head hook pass to open up teammates for corner 3s.
Avdija isn’t just blazing. He’s controlling pace in a way he never has before. He’s never been so confident with his jumper, hitting 38 percent on nearly seven 3-point attempts a game. And he’s churning out the most effective, efficient basketball of his life.
This is Avdija’s second season with the Blazers. He is under contract through 2027-28.
