Israeli basketball player Deni Avdija, who was just named to The Action Network's “Elite 100” list of the best NBA players, announced that he will not play on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Hebrew calendar, which falls this Friday night and Saturday.
This means that Avdija will miss the first preseason game between his new team, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Avdija wrote in a Hebrew-language post on his Instagram page, “When the Blazers told me about the game, it was clear to me from the first moment that I would tell them I’m not playing, I feel this is the best way to start the season in unity with my Jewish brothers and sisters.”
“The best way for me to start the season will be by respecting the Jewish tradition along with my brothers and sisters worldwide," he said.
Avdija ended his post with "Am Yisrael Chai" (The People of Israel Live) and a traditional saying wishing a good verdict from heaven on Yom Kippur for all Jews.
Avdija was selected ninth overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards and spent his first four NBA seasons in Washington.
He signed a four-year, $55 million rookie scale extension the previous offseason that went into effect in July and will run through the 2027/28 season.
In February, he recorded a new career high for an Israeli NBA player, scoring 43 points in a contest against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Israeli also matched a season high with 14 rebounds, and added three assists. The previous career high in a game for an Israeli player was 36 by Omri Casspi.
In June, he was traded by Washington to Portland.