Inside The Wizards

Deni Avdija Is Coming Into His Own

After hitting a rough patch offensively, Deni Avdija is finally coming into his own.

Carita Parks

Deni Avdija Is Coming Into His Own
Deni Avdija Is Coming Into His Own /
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Deni Avdija came into the season trying to shake off a groin injury that kept him sidelined during some of the Wizards offseason activities. Although the injury slowed down his progress, Avdija managed to win the small forward position, earning a consistent role in the Wizards starting lineup.

In his first six games as a starter, he struggled to make it into double figures. As the Wizards prepared to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on October 31st, Avdija was surprisingly replaced with Anthony Gill in the starting five. It was tough to accept a new role on the bench but Avdija continued to be the utmost professional through the transition.

His patience paid off when he made his way back into the starting lineup as a result of Bradley Beal entering health and safety protocols for the Wizards meeting against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 6th.

Since then, Avdija has returned with a focused mindset, gradually improving game-by-game finishing with three points (vs. Hornets), 12 points (vs. Mavericks), 13 points (vs. Jazz), and tying his career high 21 points in the team’s second meeting with the Grizzlies on Sunday.

He also added five assists, two rebounds and one steal to his stat line. Avdija scored 15 points on 6-of-10 (3-5 3PT) in the first half, marking the second time in his career scoring 15+ points in a single half (17, 3/25/22 at Detroit). Avdija has now scored in double figures in three consecutive games.

He had a chance to exceed his career high but was unable to capitalize on two free throw attempts. As Avdija often does, he found a lesson in the missed opportunity.

During this Wizards four-game winning streak, he is finding his offensive rhythm. His personal goals for keeping up the momentum he is building is to stay aggressive and slow down so he can make better in-game decisions.

All in all, it appears Avdija is on the upward trajectory and finally coming into his own this season.

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Carita Parks
CARITA PARKS

Carita Parks is the founder and editor-in-chief of Double Take Sports, an online sports platform featuring in-depth feature interviews, personal athlete stories, game analysis, and inside access to top sporting events. As a credentialed sports journalist, Carita has covered major events such as the NBA Draft, NBA Playoffs, WNBA Draft, WNBA Finals, Super Bowl, NFL Draft, NFL Honors, and more. Her current work includes regular coverage of the NFL, WNBA, and NBA, including the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Washington Commanders. Carita’s articles and interviews have appeared on a variety of platforms including USA Today’s CommandersWire and more. Throughout her journey as a reporter, Carita has interviewed many prestigious names in sports and entertainment to include: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Natasha Cloud, Elena Delle Donne, Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Patrick Mahomes, Jemele Hill, and Snoop Dogg.  As a sports insider, Carita has been invited to provide expert analysis on podcasts, radio, and television shows. She also co-hosts a ‘The Triple W,’ an all female Wizards podcast, and a DC sports podcast called ‘The Breakdown.' Carita has a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Masters in Business Administration. She is a member of Women in Sports and Events – DC Chapter and the National Association of Black Journalists. 

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