Deni Avdija is one of the better 25-and-under players in the NBA, and he’s having a strong season for a Portland Trail Blazers team still trying to find its full identity.
But after several seasons of melancholy, there is excitement back in the northwest, as Portland is 9th in a tough Western Conference with a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
And a lot of that has to do with Avdija and his emergence as the team’s ace player in 2025 and now 2026.
But on Sunday at his first NBA All-Star Game, Avdija faced backlash following a so-so showing in the exhibition.
While that wouldn’t generally be a big deal, the Trail Blazers star was going up against a player fans felt he had beaten out in the initial selection: Los Angeles Clippers‘ Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard was not selected for the team, with Avdija getting the nod over the former two-time NBA Finals MVP. But due to injuries, Leonard found his way into the mix.
And Leonard did not hold back against Avdija or Team World when they faced off.
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In the one-quarter game they played against each other, Leonard put on one of the most impressive All-Star performances in history.
He shot 11/13 from the field for 31 points.
Avdija, on the other hand, was 0/1 in his field goal attempts with two turnovers.
Fans online didn’t hold back against the All-Star rookie who got outdueled by the vet.
If there’s any solace for Avdija, the Trail Blazers currently do have a better record than the Clippers by a single game.
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