Deni Avdija was sad to leave Washington due to the relationships he'd built throughout the four years with the Wizards franchise. Comparing Washington and Portland, he noted the nature of the region and the different nature of the city itself.
After four years with the Washington Wizards, the franchise that drafted him in 2020, Deni Avdija will begin a new chapter of his basketball career with the Portland Trail Blazers. Having previously said he found out about it while he was sleeping, the Israeli forward opened up about the departure.
Avdija was traded in June in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, marking the end of his stint with the Wizards.
"I felt that Washington was my home for four years. I built friendships there and built relationships with the coaches there. I felt like I was part of this team, and I also connected with it emotionally a little. And then comes this moment when you are no longer there, and you have to understand that this is it and there is no choice," he told in an interview with Moses Barda from ONE.
"Although it wasn't the most glamorous team in the world, we made it to the playoffs once. I was injured [at that time], but I went a long way with this club," the player said. "I believe that now I'm entering a new world where I'm discovering new abilities both mentally and physically, and I believe that I will succeed."
Despite leaving the Wizards, Avdija is still in contact with a lot of people from the organization, from the players to the upper management.
"I'm still in touch with a lot of Washington people, whether it's people who accompanied me from the beginning or whether it's players who played with me there. I'll always remember them, and I'll always be in touch with them. They'll be a part of my heart because they helped me develop as a player," Avdija said.
"I feel that they really want me to succeed, and I don't have a reason not to be in contact with them," the player explained. "The front office is relatively new, but there are so many names I can think of that were close to my heart that I would come to the practice hall and say hello to and hug every day. I saw them more than my parents."
Part of leaving Washington D.C. is leaving the unique city that it is. Now, Avdija will live in the Pacific Northwest, a completely different place in the US landscape in more than one aspect.
Avdija specifies that things both inside and outside of the city are different.
"Portland's nature is much more beautiful. It's a very special place, and there are several areas there that are very nice to live in, and that's probably where I'll go. There's a lake there and a community that really likes the Blazers and is much more connected to their sport and their team as a city," Avdija compared.
"It's less vibrant than Washington. It's the capital city, and people forget that it's a very diplomatic city. There's something about Washington that's a bit 'cold' because a lot of people come from the outside for all the embassies and jobs," he said. "People come from the outside to work, and it doesn't feel like home anymore. Portland's a city where people live, so it's more authentic."
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