>“He really took care of me,” Avdija says. “He really cared about my success, and he wanted me to be mentally tough. When he sees me now, every time he sees me, he gives me advice after the game or something that I need to do better, and I love it. He always has a lot of effect (on me) because he was my first veteran that I met when I came to the league.”
>Avdija and the Wizards will face Westbrook and the Lakers for the second, and last, time this season on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
>Westbrook is 13 years older, grew up in Southern California, has won an NBA MVP award and been named to nine All-Star teams. Avdija, the ninth pick in the 2020 draft, is 21 and was born in Israel.
>They share a few personality traits — a competitiveness tinged with swagger — that Westbrook recognized immediately. During Avdija’s first NBA training camp practice, then-Wizards coach Scott Brooks told Avdija to pick several veteran players to play one-on-one at the end of the workout so Avdija could work on his defense. Avdija selected the two most accomplished players on the team, Westbrook and Bradley Beal.
>“He’s a special kid,” Westbrook says now. “He obviously played professionally before we signed him, but you could just see his potential. For as long as I’ve been in the league, when I see someone’s potential, I want to try to help him the best way I can and I know how to. He’s a good kid.”
Rest of the article talks about how Russ would hold DA accountable by pointing out his errors and telling him what he could do better, and giving him ‘tough love’. Russ would yell at him in practice and then afterward they’d be back to being friends and having dinner, etc. In the end the piece makes it clear that DA enjoyed being mentored by Russ, and Russ enjoyed mentoring him and wants him to ‘pass it on’ and mentor younger players in the future.
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Excerpt:
>“He really took care of me,” Avdija says. “He really cared about my success, and he wanted me to be mentally tough. When he sees me now, every time he sees me, he gives me advice after the game or something that I need to do better, and I love it. He always has a lot of effect (on me) because he was my first veteran that I met when I came to the league.”
>Avdija and the Wizards will face Westbrook and the Lakers for the second, and last, time this season on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
>Westbrook is 13 years older, grew up in Southern California, has won an NBA MVP award and been named to nine All-Star teams. Avdija, the ninth pick in the 2020 draft, is 21 and was born in Israel.
>They share a few personality traits — a competitiveness tinged with swagger — that Westbrook recognized immediately. During Avdija’s first NBA training camp practice, then-Wizards coach Scott Brooks told Avdija to pick several veteran players to play one-on-one at the end of the workout so Avdija could work on his defense. Avdija selected the two most accomplished players on the team, Westbrook and Bradley Beal.
>“He’s a special kid,” Westbrook says now. “He obviously played professionally before we signed him, but you could just see his potential. For as long as I’ve been in the league, when I see someone’s potential, I want to try to help him the best way I can and I know how to. He’s a good kid.”
Rest of the article talks about how Russ would hold DA accountable by pointing out his errors and telling him what he could do better, and giving him ‘tough love’. Russ would yell at him in practice and then afterward they’d be back to being friends and having dinner, etc. In the end the piece makes it clear that DA enjoyed being mentored by Russ, and Russ enjoyed mentoring him and wants him to ‘pass it on’ and mentor younger players in the future.
Good article. Thanks /u/joshuabrobbins