Deni Avdija’s play has been one of the biggest surprises of the first half of the NBA regular season. In an interview with The Athletic, the Portland Trail Blazers forward explained that his breakout is the result of several factors: the confidence he received from former head coach Chauncey Billups, strong chemistry with teammates who are genuinely happy for his success — something he says is rare in the NBA — and, above all, the mental toughness he developed early in his career.
Avdija said learning to deal with adversity without making excuses has shaped him as a player, after years of limited playing time, physical defenses and frustrating situations. That mindset has helped him emerge as a complete two-way force for Portland.
He is currently averaging 26.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game, taking on a major role for a Blazers team that has been shorthanded in the backcourt. Damian Lillard has already labeled Avdija a cornerstone of the franchise’s future:
“I think he is a must-have player in the league right now,” Lillard said. “He puts pressure on the rim, draws fouls, can make 3s, has size, speed. … You can see the league is changing, and if a team wants to be successful, you gotta have a guy like him. You gotta have a forward who can do all those things — and he’s all of those things.”
Despite the success, Avdija believes his rise is far from complete. He is confident he has another level to reach, acknowledging that he is still adjusting to new responsibilities:
“I know I have another level that I can reach,” he said. “I’m still making a lot of I’m-new-to-this-situation mistakes. Before this year, I haven’t had the ball at the end of the game a lot. Teams haven’t focused on me this much … and I haven’t had the freedom to do a lot of the things. It takes some getting used to.”
Commenta
Visualizza commenti