Watch: Israeli NBA Player Deni Avdija Sings Israel’s National Anthem With Fans After Game in Atlanta
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija during his team’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April, 2, 2023. Photo: IMAGO/@guelbergoes via Reuters Connect
Israeli professional basketball player Deni Avdija, who plays forward for the NBA’s Washington Wizards, joined members of Atlanta’s Jewish community in singing Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, after his team played an away game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
At the end of the game, Jewish basketball fans in the State Farm Arena spontaneously began singing Hatikva, and the 22-year-old sang along while draping an Israeli flag on his back.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv player, who is the only current NBA player born in Israel, shared clips of the singing on his Instagram Story and wrote in the caption, “It’s been a long time since the last time I was moved like this.” His fans also chanted “Am Yisrael Chai” (“Long live Israel”) during the game, and Avdija came to meet some of them in the stands after the anthem. The athlete scored a season-high 22 points during his team’s 130-121 loss to the Hawks on Wednesday.
Deni Avdija scored a season-high 22 points tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.
After the game, fans from Atlanta’s Jewish community joined Deni to sing Hatikvah as he wrapped himself in the Israeli flag.
“Been a long time since I was moved like this,” Deni wrote on IG. pic.twitter.com/HuFLsvGP4H
— Louis Keene (@thislouis) November 2, 2023
After the Palestinian terror group Hamas slaughtered 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in Israel on Oct. 7, and kidnapped more than 200 others, Avdija shared an emotional message on Instagram, saying he personally knew some people killed in the terrorist attack. “While I’m here playing ball, my thoughts are constantly pulled back to Israel,” wrote the former 9th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
“The haunting images of women, children, and elders being taken into Gaza, many meeting a tragic end, remain etched in my memory,” he added in part, before sharing his condolences with the victims and their families. “Knowing some victims personally adds another layer to my heartache,” he said.
