Zufer Avdija
Zufer Avdija (Serbian: Зуфер Авдија, Hebrew: זופר אבדיה; born October 1, 1959[1]) is a Serbian–Israeli professional basketball coach and former player. He played for Crvena zvezda in the Yugoslav Basketball League during the 1980s, and for Israeli clubs Ramat HaSharon, Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Elitzur Bat Yam in the 1990s. He represented the Yugoslavia basketball team internationally.
 Avdija in 2015. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | October 1, 1959 Priština, PR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Serbian / Israeli | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 1981 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1977–1998 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Power forward | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9, 12, 15 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | Elektrokosovo | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1989 | Crvena zvezda | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Gradine Pula | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Ramat HaSharon | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Rishon LeZion | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Elitzur Bat Yam | |||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| ||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=icon}
.svg.png){kind=icon}
Playing career
Avdija spent most of his playing career in Crvena zvezda in Yugoslav Basketball League, where he played during the 1980s. He was a team captain.
In the 1990s, he played for Israeli clubs:[1] Ramat HaSharon, Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Elitzur Bat Yam.[2]
National team career
Avdija played 50 games[3] for Yugoslavian national basketball team. He represented Yugoslavia at the 1982 FIBA World Championship in Colombia where he won bronze medal alongside teammates from Crvena zvezda Rajko Žižić and Zoran Radović.[4] Also, he won a gold medal at 1983 Mediterranean Games in Morocco.
Personal life
Avdija was born in Pristina, SAP Kosovo, FPR Yugoslavia. He is of ethnic Gorani descent (from Gora in southern Kosovo) and is a Muslim. When he was 15 he briefly played football as a goalkeeper for Ramiz Sadiku youth team in Pristina.[5]
He is married to Sharon Artzi, a Jewish-Israeli from Kibbutz Beit Zera, who is a former track and field athlete and basketball player.[6]
His Israeli-born son, Deni Avdija (born 2001), is also a professional basketball player. Deni represents the Israel national team internationally.[7]
References
- Zufer Avdija at Israeli Basketball
- http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Zufer-Avdija/Israel/Elitzur_Bat_Yam/7265
- ZUFER AVDIJA POMAŽE: Evo gde Zvezda treba da traži pobedu protiv Makabija
- Zufer Avdija at 1982 FIBA World Championship, FIBA.com
- Zufer Avdija, košarkaš koji obećava
- Weitzman, Yaron (15 November 2019). "'We've Never Had a Talent Like Him'". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "Zadar Basketball Tournament Interview: Deni Avdija". eurospects.com. Retrieved 27 July 2020.