Zufer Avdija

Last updated
Zufer Avdija
Zufer Avdija.jpg
Avdija in 2015
Bnei Herzliya
Title General manager
League Israeli Basketball Premier League
Personal information
Born (1959-10-01) 1 October 1959 (age 66)
Prishtina, FPR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian / Israeli
Listed height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Career information
NBA draft 1981: undrafted
Playing career1977–1998
Position Power forward
Number9, 12, 15
Career history
1977–1979 Elektrokosovo
1979–1989 Crvena zvezda
1989–1990Gradine Pula
1990–1992 Ramat HaSharon
1992–1995 Hapoel Herzliya
1995–1996 Rishon LeZion
1996–1997 Hapoel Tel Aviv
1997–1998Elitzur Bat Yam
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
FIBA World Championship
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1982 Colombia Team
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Morocco Team
Universiade
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1981 Bucharest Univ. team

Zufer Avdija (Serbian : Serbian; born 1 October 1959 [1] ) is a Serbian-Gorani professional basketball coach and former player. He currently serves as the general manager and president of basketball operations for Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. During his playing career, Avdija competed for Crvena zvezda in the Yugoslav Basketball League during the 1980s, and later played for several Israeli clubs in the 1990s, including Ramat HaSharon, Maccabi Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Elitzur Bat Yam. On the international level, he represented the Yugoslavia national basketball team.

Contents

His son, Deni Avdija, is a professional basketball player in the NBA, currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Early and career

Avdija was born in Priština, SAP Kosovo, PR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia.. He is of ethnic Gorani-Muslim descent (from Gora in southern Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija). When he was 15 he briefly played football as a goalkeeper for Ramiz Sadiku youth team in Pristina. [2]

Club career

A power forward, Avdija started his basketball career with his hometown team Elektrokosovo. [2] In 1979, he joined the Belgrade-based team Crvena zvezda of the Yugoslav Basketball League, where he played during the 1980s. He was a team captain. [3]

In the 1990s, Avdija played for Israeli clubs: [1] Ramat HaSharon, Hapoel Herzliya, Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Elitzur Bat Yam. [4]

International career

Avdija was a member of the Yugoslavia national team that won the bronze medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championship in Colombia, alongside teammates from Crvena zvezda, Rajko Žižić and Zoran Radović. [5] He scored his tournament-high with 24 points in a 101–77 win over Uruguay. Over four tournament games, he averaged 8.8 points per game. [6]

Additionally, Avdija also won the gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games in Morocco.[ citation needed ] He played 50 games for the national team. [7]

Personal life

From his first marriage Avdija has 2 children, a daughter Iva and a son, Andrej. [8]

He later married Sharon Artzi, an Israeli Jew from kibbutz Beit Zera, who is a former track and field athlete and basketball player. [9] Their Israeli-born son, Deni Avdija (born 2001), is also a professional basketball player. Deni was drafted as the 9th overall pick by the Washington Wizards in the 2020 NBA draft. Their son Deni also represents the Israel national team internationally. [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Zufer Avdija at Israeli Basketball
  2. 1 2 "Zufer Avdija, košarkaš koji obećava". yugopapir.com. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. ↑ "Avdija: Deni zbog vojske nije mogao da izabere Srbiju". sportklub.rs. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Zufer Avdija Player Profile, Elitzur Bat Yam, News, Stats - Eurobasket".
  5. ↑ "Yugoslavia Roster at 1982 World Championship". fiba.basketball. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "1982 Yugoslavia #9 - Zufer Avdija". fiba.basketball. Archived from the original on November 16, 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  7. ↑ "ZUFER AVDIJA POMAŽE: Evo gde Zvezda treba da traži pobedu protiv Makabija". kosarka.hotsport.rs. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  8. ↑ Meir, Ya'akov (November 23, 2020). ""אלוהים נגע בדני, הוא נולד לאן.בי.אי"" [God touched Deni, he was born for the NBA]. Israel Hayom (in Hebrew). Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ Weitzman, Yaron (15 November 2019). "'We've Never Had a Talent Like Him'". Bleacher Report . Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Zadar Basketball Tournament Interview: Deni Avdija". eurospects.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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