LeBron James dropped major praise on a rising star, calling Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija elite on his Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash.
Nothing unusual about that hype except a handful of the NBA community erupted in controversy over the Israeli forward getting love from arguably the league’s biggest name.
LeBron James Declares Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija Elite
Avdija is having a legitimate breakout season, averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. The best part? He just won Western Conference Player of the Week.
The 25-year-old Israeli forward served in the IDF before being drafted ninth overall in 2020. That background has made him a target of critics amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
However, the Lakers’ king didn’t care about that political noise while keeping his assessment on the table. “For the 2025-26 campaign, though, one player who has truly stood out to him is Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija,” James said on the Mind the Game podcast.
“He’s had a breakout career year so far. Washington is probably kicking themselves. He’s a quality player,” James said. “He’s a big-time player. He’s good. He’s really good.”
The Blazers acquired Deni Avdija from the Wizards last summer in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, the No. 14 pick in the 2024 draft (Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick, and two second-rounders. Since arriving in Portland, he has taken a big step forward, nearly doubling last season’s 16.9 points per game.
So, from a basketball standpoint, LeBron’s assessment was quite fair as the kid’s shooting accuracy is nearlky 50% from the field and 36.4% from deep. His usage rate has jumped into elite territory.
But praising him publicly triggered an instant firestorm across social media, with fans questioning Bron’s judgment on who deserves recognition.
Fans Unleash on LeBron James’ Deni Avdija Endorsement
Normally, folks argue with league officials if they bring politics into the middle of games. But fans are doing the same thing, including some being serially hostile.
One fan wrote, “not BronBron praising that war criminal.”
Another fan added, “Bron and Deni kicking it back in Israel this past offseason:”
A third shocked, asking, “LeBron is praising WHO???”
A fourth fan remarked, “But according to NBA Twitter he’s not good and a foul baiter lmao. Don’t be mad cause your favourite player respects him too.”
The fifth one joked, “this compliment was promised to him 3000 years ago.”
Avdija has openly expressed pride in being Israeli. He once sat out a preseason game on Yom Kippur and has spoken about supporting Israel during difficult times, and also has an ice cream brand in Israel. His All-Star voting numbers triggered Arab and Turkish social media accusations of bot manipulation.
LeBron usually avoids taking strong public positions on sensitive topics. His praise for Avdija appears to be strictly about basketball, based on film study and respect for his game. But seems like nothing is viewed in isolation anymore, as every endorsement gets scrutinized.
