Success on and off the court: Deni 'Turbo' Avdija is launching his own ice cream brand

Israeli forward, who is having a breakout NBA season with the Portland Trail Blazers, surprised everyone by announcing the launch of an ice cream brand called 'Turbo,' a nod to his nickname; it will first be sold in Israel and then in the US

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Deni Avdija

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Israeli basketball superstar Deni Avdija is in the midst of a breakout NBA season and continues to solidify his name as a rising star in the world’s top basketball league. 
On Sunday, he took another step forward, off the court, by announcing the launch of his own ice cream brand, called “Turbo,” a nod to the nickname he earned during his time with the Washington Wizards.
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Deni Avdija is having success on and off the basketball court 
(Photo: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images)
The Israeli forward teased the launch on Instagram overnight, and confirmed the news during a media appearance following a Portland Trail Blazers practice. Avdija revealed that the new flavor will first be available in Israel and later in the United States. An official Instagram account for the brand has already been launched.
The origin of 'Turbo'
The nickname “Turbo” was born during the 2022–23 NBA season in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, when Avdija celebrated a play by mimicking a motorcycle rev with his hand — a gesture that quickly caught on with fans.
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But the true story behind the name goes back to a video game. Monte Morris, a veteran teammate in Washington at the time, unintentionally coined the nickname during a post-practice one-on-one game. 
“We were playing one-on-one after practice and I was going up against Monte Morris,” Avdija recalled. “Obviously it was a mismatch because I’m bigger, and he said all I wanted to do was ‘hit Turbo and score,’ like in NBA2K. From there, it just stuck,” he explained
“My teammates started calling me that, and it really caught on,” Avdija added. “That’s why I celebrated like that in New Orleans. I love the nickname, and I’m happy I embraced it.”

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