NBA history is full of late bloomers, players who take the long route to superstardom. But few stories resemble the uniquely winding, unexpectedly explosive rise of Deni Avdija. From a promising ninth overall pick to a role player to suddenly becoming the lifeline of a Portland Trail Blazers team holding on until Damian Lillard returns, DeniAvdija’s journey has become one of the most compelling narrative arcs in the league this season.
A Promising Start… But Not Enough
When Avdija entered the 2020 NBA Draft, the intrigue was real. He was a 6-foot-9 playmaking forward with a high IQ, defensive upside, and a European pedigree that drew immediate comparisons to modern point-forwards. Yet his rookie season in Washington was quiet: 6.3 points per game, flashes of skill, but nothing loud enough to shift the franchise.
The Wizards kept believing… to a point. But as seasons went on, Avdija struggled to carve out more than a solid rotational identity. By 2023–24, he averaged 14.7 points, a respectable number, but not the star leap Washington had once imagined when they drafted him.
Washington needed a direction. And Portland needed young, controllable talent.
So in June 2024, the trade happened.
The Trade That Changed Everything
Washington sent Avdija to Portland in exchange for:
- Malcolm Brogdon (2023 Sixth Man of the Year, 50–40–90 club, 2017 Rookie of the Year),
- No. 14 pick in the 2024 Draft.
- And a TON of Other Draft Capital
At first, it looked like a rebuilding move for the Wizards, a chance to gain a steady veteran and additional draft capital.
But the twist came later, when Brogdon unexpectedly retired on October 15, 2025, after nine seasons. The Wizards essentially walked away from the trade with only the draft pick.
Meanwhile, Portland quietly realized something: they didn’t just acquire a solid wing.
They acquired a player ready to explode.
Year 1 in Portland: The Warm-Up
Deni Avdija’s first season with the Blazers wasn’t superstar-level but it was the first obvious sign that something was changing.
In 54 starts across 72 games, he averaged:
- 16.9 points
- 7.3 rebounds
- 3.9 assists
- 47.6% FG
- 36.5% 3PT
- 78% FT
This wasn’t just improvement, it was foundation-building. The confidence grew, the responsibilities expanded, and the coaching staff slowly unlocked areas of his game Washington seldom explored.
But none of this prepared the NBA world for what would come next.
The Leap: From Solid Starter to Star
When Portland traded away Deandre Ayton ahead of the 2025–26 season, a massive opportunity opened up. Someone needed to step into the No. 1 scoring role until Lillard returned from his Achilles injury.
Deni Avdija didn’t just take the role:
he exploded with it.
Through the first 20 games of the year, he has averaged:
- 25.8 points per game
- 7.1 rebounds
- 5.8 assists
- 47.6% FG
- 37.8% 3PT
- 80.6% FT
A legitimate 25-7-5 forward.
One of the biggest statistical jumps in modern NBA history.
A player suddenly shaping Portland’s identity every night.
Why the Leap Happened
NBA breakouts are never random. Here’s what fueled Avdija’s rise:
1. Portland gave him the ball
In Washington, he was a complementary piece.
In Portland, he is the engine.
Deni Avdija’s point-forward instincts finally have space to breathe. The Blazers run sets through him, pick-and-rolls, inverted screens, isolations, mid-post playmaking, suddenly unlocking his natural rhythm.
2. The roster fits him perfectly
With scorers like:
- Shaedon Sharpe (20.9 PPG, 1.3 SPG)
- Jerami Grant (19.1 PPG)
- Jrue Holiday (16.7 PPG, 8.3 APG, 1.6 SPG)
- Toumani Camara (12.3 PPG, 1.1 SPG)
- Donovan Clingan (10.2 PPG, 10 RPG, 1.5 BPG)
…Deni Avdija isn’t being forced to play hero-ball.
He’s leading a balanced ecosystem that supports his strengths, not masks his weaknesses.
3. He embraced being “the guy”
Confidence is a skill.
And in Year 2 with Portland, Deni Avdija started playing like he believed he belonged among the league’s elite wings.
No hesitation.
No second-guessing.
Just aggression, maturity, and a deeper understanding of timing and pace.
The Blazers’ Future: A New Era?
Portland sits at 8–12, 10th in the West, not great, but far from disastrous considering Lillard’s injury.
If Dame returns healthy, this team suddenly looks like:
- One elite scorer (Lillard)
- One elite two-way forward (Deni Avdija)
- Two athletic young stars (Sharpe + Clingan)
- A veteran defensive mastermind (Jrue)
- And a rock-solid supporting cast
Is this a title favorite? Probably not yet.
Is this a playoff threat?
Without question.
And the biggest reason is the rise of a player few expected to ever reach this height.
A Star Is Born
Deni Avdija didn’t peak early.
He didn’t burst into the league as an instant star.
He didn’t dominate right away.
Instead, he grew, slowly, steadily, and finally explosively.
His story isn’t just about numbers.
It’s about timing, opportunity, and a player refusing to settle for being “solid.”
The rise of Deni Avdija is real.
And it might just be the beginning.
