Deni Avdija Climbs to 27th in CBS Sports' New NBA Player Rankings
Israeli forward Deni Avdija has jumped to 27th in the new CBS Sports NBA player rankings, marking a massive surge from his 76th spot last year.
Deni Avdija continues to climb the NBA rankings, securing the 27th spot in CBS Sports' newly published list of the league's top 100 players. This marks a dramatic leap for the Israeli forward, who was ranked 76th by the outlet last year. Avdija has also been placed 27th by ESPN and 38th by HoopsHype ahead of the upcoming season.
The Driving Force Behind Avdija's Rise
Analyst Sam Quinn highlighted Avdija's exceptional ability to drive to the basket as the primary catalyst for his success and his maiden All-Star appearance last season.
Avdija led the NBA in total drives to the basket, with roughly two-thirds of them going to his right hand. Thanks to this, he also led the league in both assists and free throw attempts generated from drives, with only a handful of players scoring more total points off such penetrations, Quinn wrote.
While his defensive numbers dipped slightly as his offensive burden grew, experts believe that with a more balanced workload and continued shooting development, Avdija possesses all the tools to evolve into one of the premier versatile wing players in the NBA.
Notable Movers in the Rankings
Alongside Avdija's impressive surge, the CBS list featured several massive jumps and drops across the league. The biggest upward trajectories belonged to Kon Knueppel (+53 spots), Stephon Castle (+61), Dylan Harper (+63), and Jalen Duren (+67). Conversely, Ja Morant suffered the steepest decline in the rankings, dropping 55 spots.
The top of the list is commanded by Victor Wembanyama at number one, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić, highlighting the shifting landscape of elite NBA talent as the new campaign approaches.