This season marks the first that Avdija has taken on the role of sports director with the task of putting together a quality squad that can compete at the highest levels of Israeli basketball.
When Deni Avdija, the Washington Wizards’ Jewish and Israeli sophomore player, entered the first quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 16, he was given the difficult
Former CBA MVP Courtney Fortson joins Israeli club Bnei Herzliya
Xinhua
27 Jul 2021, 11:30 GMT+10
JERUSALEM, July 26 (Xinhua) Israeli basketball Super League club Bnei Herzliya has signed former Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) MVP Courtney Fortson, the club announced on Monday. The 33-year-old point guard played in China between 2016 and 2020, spending three years with the Zhejiang Lions and one season at the Sichuan Blue Whales. Fortson was named the Chinese league s MVP in 2018, at the end of his second season with the Lions as they finished runners-up in that year s CBA. That season, Fortson averaged 31.1 points and 12 assists with 39.6 minutes per game across 36 games.
Apr 8, 2021
Pro-basketall player Deni Avdija arrives dressed in black, writes ‘Remember’ on his shoes for the game played on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
By Yakir Benzion, United With Israel
Israeli rookie basketball player Deni Avdija marked Holocaust Remembrance Day during Wednesday night’s NBA game between the Washington Wizards and the Orlando Magic, catching the attention of the NBC game announcers.
“Deni Avdija playing tonight on Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – it’s a very somber day in Israel,” said the NBC announcer, “and on his sneakers he has written the word “Yizkor,” which is “remember” in Hebrew.
That message went out to the fans tuned in to watch the game, giving tens of thousands of basketball fans a small bit of Holocaust education. Perhaps inspired by the significance of the day, Avdija had one of his best games so far this year, scoring 16 points in Washington’s 131-116 victory over Orlando.
Screencapture from video of Israeli singer Kobi Aflalo. (YouTube)
The Washington Wizards basketball team will celebrate a Jewish heritage night on Thursday as the NBA club hosts the Los Angeles Clippers for a game that will feature an Israeli artist singing the US national anthem.
Kobi Aflalo will belt out “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the start of an evening filled with fun facts about Jewish heritage and Israeli hit songs delivered during timeouts.
Fans can tune in via the Wizards’ Israeli Instagram page, the official NBA website reported.
There will be video messages from the Israeli embassy as well as from Israeli former NBA player Omri Casspi and players from the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club and the Israeli National Team, the statement said.