Here are the Jewish and Israeli players to watch in the NBA this season:

Deni Avdija, the Portland Trail Blazers forward, is fresh off his first career All-Star selection, which made him the first Israeli in NBA history to earn the honor.

The 25-year-old Beit Zera native set career highs in points (24.2) and assists (6.7) per game and should continue his ascension as Portland’s offensive leader this season.

Danny Wolf, the Brooklyn Nets power forward, is entering his second year in the league after appearing in 57 games (15 starts). Wolf is an Illinois native who had his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Ben Saraf, a shooting guard, joins Wolf in his second season with the Nets. The Israeli native averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 assists per game across 44 contests (11 starts) last year. The 20-year-old, who is 6-foot-6, is the son of two former Israeli pro basketball players, and he wears No. 77 because it represents the Hebrew word “mazal,” which means luck.

Domantas Sabonis, a three-time All-Star and center for the Sacramento Kings, reportedly began the process of converting to Judaism in 2023. Sabonis and his wife, Shashana, who is Jewish, had a Jewish wedding and the couple celebrates Shabbat and keeps kosher at home. Sabonis played only 19 games last year while dealing with a knee injury, but owns a career average of 16.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

HOT CORNER

MLB announced this year’s finalists for the Gold Glove Awards that honor the best defensive player at every position in each league. Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman is a finalist, as he seeks to win his second Gold Glove.

SECOND ACT.

Newly minted basketball Hall of Famer Amar’e Stoudemire graduated from the Miami Dade College School of Justice’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy and will become a police officer. “It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid,” the 14-year NBA veteran said this week.

FRIEND OF THE TRIBE

The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame announced this week that it will posthumously honor Michael Sweetney, a former NBA player and Yeshiva University coach, with its 2026 Global Tikkun Olam Award. Sweetney, who died last month, had been a vocal advocate for Jewish and Israeli causes.