Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 16, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 16, 2026
After All-Star debut, Israel’s Deni Avdija says he feels ‘entire nation’ with him when he plays
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Kevin Durant of Team USA Stripes (R) shoots against Deni Avdija of Team World during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP)
After competing in his first-ever NBA All-Star Game, Israeli basketballer Deni Avdija thanks Israeli fans who stayed up overnight to watch him play.
“I feel like when I come to play, I come with the entire nation, and it’s fun to show that it’s possible, even for a small country like us,” he tells Channel 12 news at a post-game press conference.
Avdija is the first Israeli in history to have played in the tournament.
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