Monday’s NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers made history as three Israeli players faced each other on the court for the first time. Rising star Deni Avdija of Portland went head-to-head with Nets rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
Nets coach Jordi Fernández called the occasion “special,” highlighting the significance of having players from outside the US and Europe in the league. “When other countries outside the US and Europe can be represented with three players here, it means the world, and it’s a special day that everybody has to enjoy,” Fernández said. He added that it will be interesting to watch the players grow over the years.
Avdija has been having a strong season with Portland, and Monday’s matchup provided an opportunity to showcase his development against fellow Israelis. Fernández noted, “Obviously Deni, a career year, and how much better he has gotten. And then our two young guys, they’re getting better. I want to see this matchup over the years and how interesting, how cool it is to see them play against each other.”
The historic encounter on Monday is expected to be the first of several opportunities in coming seasons for Israeli players to compete against one another at the NBA level.