Deni Avdija - 2020 draft

[Chi town]

What's your thoughts about this kid?
which team should draft him? maybe T-Wolves?

Watch on YouTube

I like him for the Bulls, especially with Coby White not being a pure PG and OPJs contract running out. He looks pretty dangerous finding guys in transition and would fill a need.

He’s my guy at 4 for the Bulls but I don’t know that he will be there.

[Stillwater]

What's your thoughts about this kid?
which team should draft him? maybe T-Wolves?

Watch on YouTube

I like him for the Bulls, especially with Coby White not being a pure PG and OPJs contract running out. He looks pretty dangerous finding guys in transition and would fill a need.

He’s my guy at 4 for the Bulls but I don’t know that he will be there.

trust me nobody is taking this kid before 4

[aguiar95]

Has Toni Kukoc writen all over him. Feels like a 15/5/5 guy. In this weird draft where there's no clear All-star I would take him #4-5 if I were Cavs/Bulls.

[Pistol King]

I love his post-hiatus highlights video more than his older ones:

Watch on YouTube

He just look more comfortable and confident with the bigger role he got, I'd say he also looks more athletic then before. Part of the reason I'm so high on him is his learning curve. He just seem one of those guys that would work the hardest as they can to reach their potential, one of those guys that if you give him the tools and right guidance to work on his weaknesses he can end up being a really high level player. Part of the reason I hate when people hurry to determine he will not be a star even if he reach his potential.

[Chi town]

Darnell Mayberry on Deni...

It’s not just that Avdija could be the most talented prospect remaining on the board. He also could embody everything the league is now about. He’s long. He’s versatile. He’s smart. In an era of positionless basketball and units now mandating multiple playmakers, Avdija could thrive in Chicago as a secondary playmaker.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Darnell Mayberry on Deni...

It’s not just that Avdija could be the most talented prospect remaining on the board. He also could embody everything the league is now about. He’s long. He’s versatile. He’s smart. In an era of positionless basketball and units now mandating multiple playmakers, Avdija could thrive in Chicago as a secondary playmaker.

I think he's mistaken about the "long" part.

[Mirotic12]

Givony on Deni...

Strengths
- Big enough to play PF but has the ballhandling, creativity and playmaking skill of a PG. At his best operating out of pick-and-roll, where he displays excellent timing and vision, allowing him to make every read and pass in the book. Aggressive offensive player who is in attack mode every time he steps onto the floor. Loves shooting pull-up 3-pointers in transition. Brings toughness, competitiveness and swagger.
- Was learning how to play without the ball this season in a more compact role at the pro level. Elite cutter thanks to his strong feel for the game. Capable of playmaking out of secondary ball-handling situations.
- Has made significant strides on defense. Covers ground well and plays with real intensity getting over screens, battling on the glass and rotating to protect the rim. Gets in passing lanes, blocks quite a few shots and rebounds well.

Improvement areas
- Inconsistent shooter who has converted just 32% of 3-pointers and 58% of free throws over a large sample. Mechanics have been tweaked repeatedly to the point that you rarely see him shooting the same way, sometimes kicking his legs out excessively or looking stiff with his release.
- Wasn't asked to do much in terms of creating his own shot in isolation, pushing in the open court or playing pick-and-roll this season.
- Struggles to create offense from a standstill. Right-hand dominant and much more limited when pushed to dribble or finish with his off hand. Reliant on changes of speed and using his body to create space, which might prove more difficult against NBA defenders.

Projected role: Big playmaker

--Jonathan Givony

Same claims about,

Dario Saric - that were untrue
Dragan Bender - that were untrue
it's also untrue in the case of Avdija

Handling the ball in under-16 youth leagues does not make you a point guard or even a player with point guard skills. There is no logical reason why they keep saying guys that were playing as face up power forward (just standing at the 3 point line in Bender's case) on their pro teams are point guards, and/or have point guard skills.

[Chi town]

I like Deni as a playmaker from the post after a switch on PNR. He’s decisive and smart. The anti Lauri post action.

[arusinov]

Same claims about,

Dario Saric - that were untrue
Dragan Bender - that were untrue
it's also untrue in the case of Avdija

Handling the ball in under-16 youth leagues does not make you a point guard or even a player with point guard skills. There is no logical reason why they keep saying guys that were playing as face up power forward (just standing at the 3 point line in Bender's case) on their pro teams are point guards, and/or have point guard skills.

Well. Bender was unable to play in Israeli I-BSL league (even his averages of 5.6 / 2.7 / 0.8 sound better than reality - he also was totally clueless defender). No one in Israel understood how he was selected that high. He was so not ready to play in any somehow serious professional league.
And Saric is not bad player but I don't understand why people thought he's quick enough to play wing... Some of his highlights are kind of similar to those of Avdija... they are just seems to be in a slow motion.

And the truth for good or for bad is: Deni played PF... like 2-3 games in whole career. He was SG and sometimes PG in under 20 and almost always wing (3&D wind in Euroleague, playmaking wing in I-BSL) for Maccabi

[kobyz]

Darnell Mayberry on Deni...

It’s not just that Avdija could be the most talented prospect remaining on the board. He also could embody everything the league is now about. He’s long. He’s versatile. He’s smart. In an era of positionless basketball and units now mandating multiple playmakers, Avdija could thrive in Chicago as a secondary playmaker.

I think he's mistaken about the "long" part.

I think there is a misconception about his wingspan, small wingspan is fake news, he has 7'2" wingspan!

[MotownMadness]

Darnell Mayberry on Deni...

It’s not just that Avdija could be the most talented prospect remaining on the board. He also could embody everything the league is now about. He’s long. He’s versatile. He’s smart. In an era of positionless basketball and units now mandating multiple playmakers, Avdija could thrive in Chicago as a secondary playmaker.

I think he's mistaken about the "long" part.

I think there is a misconception about his wingspan, small wingspan is fake news, he has 7'2" wingspan!

Wow, longer than i thought actually

[No-Man]

That's not true at all lmao

[MotownMadness]

That's not true at all lmao

I was skeptical, what is he probably like 6'9-6'10 wingspan?

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Darnell Mayberry on Deni...

It’s not just that Avdija could be the most talented prospect remaining on the board. He also could embody everything the league is now about. He’s long. He’s versatile. He’s smart. In an era of positionless basketball and units now mandating multiple playmakers, Avdija could thrive in Chicago as a secondary playmaker.

I think he's mistaken about the "long" part.

I think there is a misconception about his wingspan, small wingspan is fake news, he has 7'2" wingspan!

Ain’t no way.

[No-Man]

That's not true at all lmao

I was skeptical, what is he probably like 6'9-6'10 wingspan?

yeah, I'd say around that, he is 6'9.5 in shoes, and I think his wingspan is +1 or 1.5 so 6'10 max

[nolang1]

I love his post-hiatus highlights video more than his older ones:

Watch on YouTube

He just look more comfortable and confident with the bigger role he got, I'd say he also looks more athletic then before. Part of the reason I'm so high on him is his learning curve. He just seem one of those guys that would work the hardest as they can to reach their potential, one of those guys that if you give him the tools and right guidance to work on his weaknesses he can end up being a really high level player. Part of the reason I hate when people hurry to determine he will not be a star even if he reach his potential.

Yes, most 18-20 year old players have that kind of learning curve where they should be looking better than they were several months prior, and that applies especially in a situation like this where it became much more difficult to stay in game shape and the younger players would have an edge on the older players there. Lots of NBA rookies this year looked much more impressive in the bubble than they did up until March. Post-hiatus he was exclusively playing against bad Israeli league competition (the team he's on has won 54 of the 66 Israeli league championships and has a payroll that dwarfs everyone else's), so I don't think that's grounds to move him up just because he's the only one who's gotten to play lately.

[Stillwater]

I think he's mistaken about the "long" part.

I think there is a misconception about his wingspan, small wingspan is fake news, he has 7'2" wingspan!

Ain’t no way.

I'd bet $ he is a Trex if he shows up for the virtual combine or whatever the f there is this year...
His value is so overblown as a potential + defender its pathetic.
He moves his foot good but not great and will get beat on the perimiter by NBA guards and elite wings, and he absolutely lacks the length or athleticism to cover for length issues to be a + defender full time closer to the rim. I think he will be about the same level defender as KLove at best. High IQ smart at getting to spots team defender but gets killed on iso

[ILOVEIT]

I like him for the Bulls, especially with Coby White not being a pure PG and OPJs contract running out. He looks pretty dangerous finding guys in transition and would fill a need.

He’s my guy at 4 for the Bulls but I don’t know that he will be there.

trust me nobody is taking this kid before 4

That's because Warriors are taking him 2. Trust me.

[Chi town]

He’s my guy at 4 for the Bulls but I don’t know that he will be there.

trust me nobody is taking this kid before 4

That's because Warriors are taking him 2. Trust me.

I agree if they don’t make a trade.

[ILOVEIT]

trust me nobody is taking this kid before 4

That's because Warriors are taking him 2. Trust me.

I agree if they don’t make a trade.

I can see Warriors and Chicago as trading partners here, assuming the Bulls want Wiseman or Lamelo. But I think there would have to be a third team involved. The rumor I saw was Wendel Carter....I don't think the Warriors are looking for the big beasty dunking only kind of player. The prefer the stretch PF etc.

I'd love to get Batum on the Warriors somehow...Charlotte get's Wendel Carter....Warriors swap picks with Chicago.