Four Jewish players will play in the NBA this season. Their teams go from coast to coast and each project to make big impacts for their teams this season.
Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
Deni Avdija, the only Israeli-born NBA player, entered his fifth NBA season and second with the Portland Trail Blazers after joining the team in 2024 from the Washington Wizards.
Avdija, who hails from Beit Zera, Israel, had a productive first season in Portland, averaging nearly 17 points per-game while also becoming the first ever Israeli-born NBA player to record a triple-double.
The 6’9 shooting guard projects to play a vital role for a Trail Blazers team that acquired veteran-guard and two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday in an offseason trade from the Boston Celtics.
The Trail Blazers already saw nationwide scandal on the second day of the season. The FBI arrested former head coach Chauncey Billups for allegedly participating in a mafia-sponsored gambling operation.
After a career-year in his first season with Portland and added depth, Avdija looks to lead the Trail Blazers to contention in a stacked Western Conference.
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Domantas Sabonis, the nine-season veteran, started his fifth season with the Kings, looking to continue his consistent production.
Sabonis struggled with lingering injuries last season but still managed to play 70 games. The former all-star remains a consistent scorer and rebounder, averaging 19.1 points per game and leading the NBA in rebounds the last three seasons.
Sabonis will look to help the Kings rebound from a 1-3 start this season and return to the playoffs after last year’s play-in loss.
Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, Brooklyn Nets
Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, who are both entering their first seasons in the NBA, took different paths on their way to the league. They intersected on NBA draft night this year when the Brooklyn Nets consecutively selected the two with the 26th and 27th overall picks.
Ben Saraf, whose mother played for the Israeli women’s national basketball team, began playing in the Israeli Basketball National and Premier leagues. He already had family history with Israeli basketball. His mother, Ella Amir Sharaf, played for the Israeli women’s national basketball team.
Saraf signed with the German Ratiopharm Ulm in 2024. In Germany, he averaged 12.8 points per game and took on a major role in the team, helping lead Ulm to the German Bundesliga finals.
Danny Wolf took the collegiate path, playing his first two years at Yale University. He broke out in his sophomore season and averaged 14 points per game. He transferred to Michigan for his junior season and boosted his draft stock with the Wolverines.
In his one year at Michigan, Wolf averaged nearly 14 points a game and led the Big 10 conference with 9.7 rebounds per game. His efforts helped the Wolverines win the Big 10 tournament and reach the Sweet 16.
Wolf has not made his Nets debut as of Oct. 29.
