San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama earned a starting spot in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. The Frenchman got the nod after votes from fans, the media and the players were tallied. He joined Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry and Nikola Jokic as starters from the Western Conference.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, via his podcast on Monday, reacted to Wembanyama’s selection:
“Deni’s (Avdija) played incredible. The Trail Blazers look like a completely different team when he’s not on the floor. He’s having an absolutely amazing year. I’m not mad if someone puts Deni as a starter over Wemby (Wembanyama) just due to the amount of games Wemby has played, plus coming off the bench and only playing 20 mins.”
The Israeli forward is enjoying the best stretch of his career this season. Deni Avdija is averaging 26.2 points and 6.9 assists per game, both career-best numbers. He has become the Portland Trail Blazers’ No. 1 option on offense. This month, Avdija is putting up 30.3 ppg, 7.1 apg and 6.7 rpg, giving him a strong case for an All-Star selection.
On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama is averaging 24.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.6 bpg. Wembanyama’s advanced metrics are also staggering on both ends. When he plays, the Spurs have a 117.4 offensive rating, a figure that drops to 113.9 when he is out. On the other end of the court, San Antonio has a 103.9 defensive rating, the best in the NBA, when he plays and 114.3 when he is not on the floor.
However, calf and knee injuries have forced the Spurs to limit Victor Wembanyama’s minutes. Wemby averaged 23.2 minutes per game in December and 25.7 mpg this month. He has largely played off the bench over the past two months.
Still, when he is available, Victor Wembanyana’s impact has been undeniable.
Deni Avdija can still earn an All-Star spot beside Victor Wembanyama
This year, the NBA will introduce the “United States versus the World” All-Star game. One of the teams will be made up of international players. Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have already been voted as the starters.
Deni Avdija can still earn a spot if the coaches vote him to the reserve pool. If he gets the nod, the Israeli will join Wemby and others in the star-studded international team.
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