Deni Avdija Introductory Media Availability | July 8, 2024 | Portland Trail Blazers

Deni Avdija Introductory Media Availability | July 8, 2024 | Portland Trail Blazers

so what are your emotions in being here um first of all I’m very excited you know a new chapter in my journey um great organization uh they welcomed me very very well so it’s a good start and uh as I said you know I’m glad to be in a place that people embrace me and love me I’m I’m going to bring my competitiveness and um we’re going to have a lot of fun what went into that welcome that made it nice for you just the Wai in the airport like going out there grab something to eat really talk about the city the culture what they expect from me and um you know just the value of the trade I feel like you know gave up a lot to get me and I feel like it’s uh it’s an honor you know any of the guys on the team already you have pre-existing relationships with any of them um I don’t have pre-existing relationships with anybody but as I said they also the players welcomely pretty good uh I’ve been seen around the facility so um Everybody smiling telling me congratulations and that’s it were you blindsided by the train at all or did you expect I’ll be honest I didn’t expect but as I said sometimes like that’s the business sorry sometimes that’s the business and um you know I embraced it at the beginning it’s a little shocking DC has been my home for four years you know I had some great moments with um with the wizards but now I’m in a different place um I was a little shocked it’s tough to leave home but I’m excited to start a new new chapter and um really take this organization to the next level what’s it like for a trade like that to go down on draft day a day that’s already kind of a whirlwind and then it well well I was sleeping so I when when I heard about it um I got to woke up in the middle of the night and figure out I got traded so uh I didn’t go to back to sleep that night um but yeah it was it was pretty uh shocking were you in DC no I wasn’t home I was in Israel Isel yeah wow I was in Israel it was uh what 2: a.m. woke up um they letting me know W bomb things so uh yeah it took me time to embrace it but now when I’m like over it I feel like I’m in a great spot and I’m very happy you talk about your journey how would you describe your journey up to this point my my journey being uh not easy it it never was easy like I I was always uh I was never given gifts I always worked really hard for the things I accomplished and uh since I came to the league uh it’s been a tough ride I played with some really competitive and hard players and I feel like uh my role has expanded with the years and I honestly fought for every minute I saw on the cord every every chance that I got to get the ball and I try to to do the best I can and it got me it got me here so what what intrigues you about this situation here what do you mean intrigued uh interests you or what are you excited about curious about uh first of all for the fans I heard there’s a very uh very good fan base here so I’m excited to uh be a part um you know and the culture you’re in a different different state you’re in the west coast now so you know seeing the city uh seeing how people interact and um being a part of of Portland is exciting how would you describe your game to someone if you were going to tell them how how Danny Avia plays uh passionate definitely you can see the passion for winning for playing B basketball I mean I’m always making the right play trying to make the right play as much as I can I’m very uh Team friendly you know my teammates are like I want to do the best I can to make them be better on the court and um just like hard know is like trying to come do it do do his job and just win games that’s it talked about that expectations that they already talked with you about you know what arts and expectations you’re coming here with the expectations um I’m expecting to be a big part of the team um help them become uh a better team like take it to the next level and honestly I expect to get better every every single day come here and work out uh get the knowledge of of the coaches the organization just become a better uh better player and a better person from what I understand and Washington kind of gave you that indication that you were a big part of their plans emotionally how do you handle them partying ways with you I think they really loved me I think I’ve I’ve did I’ve done a lot for the organization for the city um it was just not the timeline I guess you know I uh I did whatever I can I gave everything I I I could on the on the floor and and you know that’s part of the business sometimes it just doesn’t it just doesn’t get along and I feel like we had beautiful years and you know now I’m in in a different organization and I’m I’m trying to get I’m I’m trying to get the the best I can here were you able to immediately just process that and get over it or has I think I’m matured enough in this league to understand the business side of it uh to understand that it doesn’t matter where you at um at the end of the day you playing ball you play the game you love and I’m a big competitive guy I love winning uh I love being around people and meet new people so for me it’s it’s fun to explore a new uh there’s a lot of young players on this team trying to find their game find their way and you had a huge jump in your fourth year what can you sort of teach those young players um lessons you learned I’ll definitely have the I’ll definitely have the talks with with some of the players I’ll definitely try to help uh my team and some of the young guys to really helping and uh bring the bring them game uh up a level uh other than that I’m I’m there I’m here for them and uh we’re going to do it together so what C what clicked for you here for maturity um understanding my capabilities and skill and just confidence confidence and belief I think the organization the coach especially in the second half of the Season really helped me uh make that jump I know you played in 75 games last year is being durable something you you pride yourself in definitely I’m every day in the gym weight room treatment room trying to get my body right um it’s really important for me I want to be there for for the team in every game possible um bring my competitiveness bring um bring my uh joy joy to the game and uh I feel like doing all the extra stuff around it really helps helps me do it and uh that’s my goal play as many games as possible I did 82 one one year um and I’m going try to do it again so your shooting in particular took a huge jump last year what went into that is there anything you’ve changed about your shot or was that just working on I haven’t changed I feel like my my really worked on the mental side of of of shooting and really understand that I am a good shooter and I really worked a whole summer uh focusing on a shot um and making sure I was confident about about it and that’s it I’m not overthinking anything anymore so you’re coming from a Wizard’s team that’s it’s kind of the same place as the Blazers and that they’re they’re building going forward uh was there anything you learned in that process about kind of staying motivated and staying competitive while you know that that your team is is building towards something later on first of all I understand that in the NBA patience is a big part I’ve seen teams that were not good and now are they’re top of the league so I really believe this group can be there and also I was making sure that having kind of like um all the losing stuff won’t get into me so much like come every day even though you’re not in a a really good spot in terms of like seeds but uh just come in don’t look at the record just come and play as hard as you can and compete to win for me every every win last year even though we didn’t win as much was big time Big Time for our group big time for me um and I’m trying to continue this culture here as well you

New Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija meets the press in Portland for the first time.

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