Deni Avdija says he’s fed up with the hate he receives for being from Israel, calls out the lack of education on the topic, and demands respect, saying those outside the Middle East shouldn’t speak on it “You don’t have to love what I stand for or how I look, but if I’m a good player, give props. All this hate … for no reason. Like, I’m deciding things in the world. I’ll be honest: What do people expect me to do? This is my country, where I was born, where I grew up. I love my country; there are a lot of great things about my country. But obviously, not everyone is educated and knows what is going on, and that’s what pisses me off. Because if you are educated and know what is going on, it’s fine to say what you think and say who you think is right or wrong. But if you are not educated and you are not part of the Middle East, and you don’t understand how long this goes back and understand the consequences and everything … just don’t say anything.” (Via nytimes.com/athletic/6975290…)