Eran Soroka covers basketball for Sport5 in Israel and has seen Avdija progress since he was a young player.
Deni Avdija’s recent performance has been one of the few bright spots for the Wizards the last several weeks so I thought it was worth dedicating more time to. On today’s Bleav in Wizards podcast, which will be streamed live at 9:30 p.m. EST, I will be joined by Eran Soroka, who covers the NBA for Sport5 in Israel.
Soroka joined me for a really in-depth conversation on Avdija’s play a few years ago and it seemed like the right time for a follow-up. Soroka has seen Avdija play from a young age so he’s particularly well-suited to point out the areas that he’s improved in.
We’ll discuss Avdija’s growth, whether his defense has fallen off with his increased offensive role, which lineups best maximize his skills, his pairing with Kyle Kuzma, his coverage in Israel, and just how good he can actually get. We’ll also talk about the team-building strategy of the Wizards’ front office and how Avdija fits in with their long-term plans.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
With the All-Star Game now behind us, I can’t help but wonder who is most likely to be the next Wizard to participate in the game. Is it Avdija or Kuzma? Perhaps Bilal Coulibaly. Or maybe that person isn’t on the roster yet. Let us know what you think in the comments!