Deni Avdija

Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards – 9^th overall

54 G, 6.3 PTS, 4.9 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.6 TOV | 41.7 FG%, 31.5 3P%, 64.4 FT%, 50.2 eFG%

Avdija was playing consistent minutes, around 23 per game, for a Wizards team pushing for a playoff spot until a hairline fracture in his ankle prematurely ended his season. His numbers do not stand out due to primarily playing off the ball next to ball-dominant players in Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. When he did have the ball in his hands, Avdija was able to push the pace and show some of his point-forward skills that made him such an intriguing prospect. He also showed promise as an on-ball defender and will hopefully be more involved on offense next season. However, he will have to improve his shooting in order to be more effective playing off the ball next to Westbrook and Beal.

Israeli prospect besides the game vs Yam Madar in which he looked like someone stole his talent, has been really good since renewal of the season and had bigger role than before pandemic (look at the chart below pre final game). Avdija improved his body even more during lockdown and causes a lot of damage in the post vs well seasoned ripped veterans. He clearly plays with chip on his shoulder and wants to secure another trophy before being drafted. Shooting splits were very promising just after restart but seems like he got back to his regular percentage. Avdija still needs to improve spot up % but with this he is pretty much unfailable in the game of basketball and may never look out of place at any level. With improved face up shot creation he can have complete package and eventually arrive to star status even in NBA given his proven winning mentality and off the charts skillset on both ends of the floor.

THE PRODIGY

All eyes were on Deni Avdija in Tel Aviv. That was the biggest average attendance I ve seen on youth levek and tournament gathered the most USA based executives since I scout.  We all already know that he is kind of do it all positionless contributor so lets focus on what was new or more visible. 

SHOOTING I never doubted that he can be a very good shooter but after five games of U20s stats looked very poor. The video of Deni shooting free throws after the game he made 3 from 8 at the FT line (13/28 combined at that time as well as 7/30 3pt) was really trending on twitter. Since then he stepped it up in last two games (5/12 3pt & 14/17 FT) when it was the most necessary. I still have no doubts he will be good enough shooter but it is somewhat of a small red flag (release is not quick, kicks the legs out at times causing bad balance) which will be evaluated in depth next season by scouts cause without consistent jumper you can end up in high lottery nowadays as a wing.

DEFENSE Deni proved how capable contributor he can be on that end. His best fit in the NBA will most likely be defending PFs. He is just really smart and savvy, knows teamwork and positioning. Was staying in front and challenged surprisingly a lot at the rim. I think he also showed more temper than before but you can’t deny his desire to win and possibly know how in that matter. Top 5 pick label means a lot of pressure. As great as Avdija is he won’t be able to achieve production level anywhere close to Luka Doncic next season in Euroleague or during rookie NBA campaign. Lowering expectations could be good for Israeli rising star but actually production of Slovenian prodigy can actually help Deni to get drafted…higher. Everyone knows now that if you are great basketball player with good size, elite instincts who brings rare versatility to table and can defend at least one position in NBA, you can be very good in USA despite average athleticism. If he performs well with Maccabi on the highest European stage next season then he will be surefire mid to high lottery pick. 

Deni Avdija (01’, 6’9’’, Guard/Forward) The best prospect in the event, played with a lot of maturity and basketball IQ outperforming all of his peers. Swingman with unique physical tools, nimble, with very impressive fluidity that allowed him to get by the opponents easily, collapse the defense regularly or finish through contact. Appointed as a point forward and a primary ball handler, controlled the pace fine and was distributing the ball very well from the top, on the move, off the PnR or after his drives drawing attention and delivering to open shooters. His very good ball control allowed him to separate from the defender in the isolation, take a step back or pull off the dribble quickly. Confident in his shot, very smooth release and mechanics, draining shots in series. Rested on the defensive end was doing a great job cutting through passing lanes and starting breaks. Sees opportunities arise but sometimes has a problem with delivering the ball accurately, also didn’t impress with his FT% finishing with poor-51.4%. Made history as a 6 th player in ANGT history that managed to get a triple-double, he averaged 24.3pts, 11rebs, 6ast, 3.8stl, 3.8TO’s, 0.5blk and was also selected to All-Star Five.

Probably the best overall player in this tournament, Avdija had an incredible run in Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Munich. 6’9 do it all forward of Maccabi Tel Aviv filled up stat sheet regularly and led his team to final game against Real Madrid. We have seen the full package on display there on both ways. Comparing him to his 2017 European Championship version, the development of his skillset is nothing but tantalizing.

Avdija played like he was in control of everything throughout the first three games, much more confident and too overall too much for this level. As opposition tried to pressure him when he was on the ball, he did not look selfish at all. His vision for a 6’9 player is mesmerizing, but there is still room for improvement in his passing skills. His quick first step left his defenders in their wake many times, he is handling the ball much better now. Another development of his game was his quicker shot release. It looks quicker and more fluid than ever. Not afraid of contact at all, he was slashing inside when he saw a tiny bit of an opening which related to his fighter spirit. On the ball, he can change his pace when driving thanks to his decent body control. The most impressive thing about him was that he was not a free-rider on defense either. He was cutting passing lanes with very good defensive awareness, coming to help defense in time and being competitive defending on the perimeter.

Overall, he was an all around leader for Maccabi but there is still room for improvement. What can Avdija develop next is better ability of creating his own shot. In the tournament, he tried to score over some step backs or hop steps but they were not falling consistently. If he can create more separation with his arsenal of footwork around the perimeter to create better looks, it will be much harder to defend him. This is a must for him in order to take more responsibility in the next level. He showed some back to basket offenses as well, which also has room for improvement. Next step for him is to get more playing time in pro level but in Maccabi it is still hard as the team fighting hard to get a playoff spot in Euroleague. He looks like an upcoming lottery pick after this performance however how he fares in the pro-level in the long term is a more important determinant.

Deni Avidja (’01 – ISR – 202cm) – Last but not least, the youngest and the most interesting prospect. Finished with 14.3 PPG and 10.5 RPG. Played with an amazing instinct and scored with a lot of versatility. Showed he can face older players with a lot of confidence. Can shoot and has the strength to arrive at the rim. He is good in transition and handles nicely the ball for his size. The only player from this list to make it to the All Tournament Team.

Deni Avdija (G/F, Israel)

Surely a one to note for the future. All around forward had some ups and downs throughout the tournament compared to his standards. It’s safe to state that he made a progress since last summer. He became quicker, developed his ball handling and plays with higher intensity now. Above average control of the ball allowed him to glide towards the basket in this tournament. Has a high and fluid shooting motion however still he needs to increase his percentage beyond the arc and improve shot selection. Avdija can get out of rhythm when his shots are not falling and he needs to adjust his game in these kind of situations. He can do a little bit of everything – very talented overall. His body is a work in progress but has a sky high potential. He had solid defensive contribution in the tournament but if he develops his body in a good way it will definitely be better.  He was significantly dedicated in games, aggressively forced inside with power, focused and has a killer mentality. He sprints in transition game, plays it very efficiently with either passing the ball for wide open looks or getting ahead of everyone with nice pace. Just OK as of now against contact, struggles to read the defensive weak side helps underneath the rim. Another thing I like about him is his slyness to get into rebounding positions in both sides of the court (averaged 9.1 rebounds per game.) He has to balance aggressiveness and composure in order to sustain his efficiency in top level basketball.