Israeli basketball player Deni Avdija recorded a new career high for an Israeli NBA player on Wednesday, scoring 43 points in the game of his team, the Washington Wizards, against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Avdija, who was drafted ninth overall by the Wizards in 2020, easily blew past his previous high of 25 points before the midpoint of the third quarter, in which he scored 20 of his 43 points.
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.
Despite Avdija’s excellent individual performance, New Orleans won the game 133-126. Washington, which is currently in a rebuild, enters the All-Star break with a 9-45 record, which is second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference.
While the team is rebuilding, Avdija is looking like an important part of the Wizards’ future. Before the start of the season, he signed a four-year extension with the Wizards worth $55 million.