The epic clash between Doncic and Giannis truly highlights how Han-Sen Yang is here to support him.

This European Championship provided fans with a much clearer picture of Avdija’s actual level of play.

Yesterday, Israel was knocked out by Greece, concluding their run in this European Championship. Making it to the last 16 was a mission accomplished for Israel, though facing Giannis and his Greece so soon was unfortunate.

In the group stage, Israel finished with 3 wins and 2 losses, tied with Poland in second and Slovenia in third, but due to tiebreakers, they ended up fourth. However, Israel handed the group leaders France their only defeat, a dominant 13-point win, with Avdija dominating the floor with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals, scoring 10 points in the final quarter to seal the game.

But that wasn’t even Avdija’s best group stage performance. The game against Slovenia, where Doncic and Avdija went head-to-head, was arguably the most thrilling duel of the tournament. Doncic exploded for 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Avdija poured in 34 points and grabbed 9 boards.

Israel trailed for nearly the entire game, but Avdija relentlessly led the charge to close the gap, nearly completing a comeback. Interestingly, Avdija’s draft profile listed Doncic as his ideal model—a versatile ball-handling forward.

In the knockout round loss to Greece, Giannis scored 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Avdija contributed 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. After the game, Avdija said, “Giannis gave me some very kind and touching praise, which really moved me at that moment.”

However, Avdija still showed some old issues in this game, with some inexplicable mistakes that were frustrating. Although he can handle the ball, his ball control is certainly not elite, and despite being 2.06 meters tall, his wingspan is rather average, even somewhat disappointing for that height.

In this European Championship, Avdija averaged 33 minutes per game, scoring 24 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 0.8 blocks, shooting 49.4% from the field and 35.6% from three. He ranks fourth in scoring and sixth in steals across the tournament, fully deserving the pre-tournament label as one of the top ten stars.

On the national team, Avdija is a versatile warrior who can play from the point guard to power forward positions, doing all kinds of work selflessly and playing through minor injuries. In the NBA, he is also a versatile wing with impressive ball-handling skills, primarily serving as a ball-handling forward for the Trail Blazers, capable of filling multiple roles.

With Han-Sen Yang joining the Trail Blazers, more fans will get to know Avdija, the team’s actual leader. Last season, Avdija played 72 games, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1 steal, and 0.5 blocks, shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.5% from three.

But if you focus on Avdija’s last 20 games last season, he was absolutely playing at an All-Star level, averaging 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Led by Avdija, the Trail Blazers pushed into the play-in tournament in the second half of the season, shedding their reputation as a tanking team.

Last offseason, the Trail Blazers traded Brogdon plus two first-round and two second-round picks to the Wizards to acquire Avdija. Many doubted the deal at the time, thinking Avdija wasn’t worth two first-rounders, and after a slow start to the season, the criticism only grew louder.

However, entering 2025, especially during March and April, Avdija proved himself as one of the league’s top forwards. Even more valuable is his four-year, $55 million “rookie contract” that doesn’t expire until 2028, making him an exceptional value for the years ahead.

Next season, the Trail Blazers are sure to improve their record significantly, and Avdija’s averages should make a qualitative leap, with All-Star potential on the horizon. The Blazers will also become a defense-oriented team, boasting strong defenders inside and out, including Holiday in the backcourt, Kamara on the wing, and Klingen at center.

In this context, Han-Sen Yang’s offensive skills are exactly what the Trail Blazers need off the bench. Although he will start from the bench, Young Yang will have a bigger role to showcase his talents. If Avdija and Yang are on the floor together, both possessing playmaking abilities, they will create a synergy greater than the sum of their parts.

Given Avdija’s talent, he can lead a weaker team, but on a playoff-level contender, his best role might be as the second option, a supporting leader. It depends on whether anyone on this current Trail Blazers roster can surpass Avdija and become the primary leader.

Will that person be Henderson, Sharp, or perhaps the unexpectedly developing Han-Sen Yang?