Published 15:18 IST, November 4th 2020
Warriors reportedly Deni Avdija's favoured team for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft
Deni Avdija, who is one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft on November 18, apparently prefers to be chosen by the Warriors.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Israeli prospect Deni Avdija is surprisingly being seen as a top-three pick for the upcoming NBA Draft. While players like LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards are also in contention, reports state that Avdija's interviews and workouts have apparently impressed teams. This includes the Golden State Warriors, who met Avdija last month. The team was very impressed with the 19-year-old and could end up picking him at No. 2.
Deni Avdija to Warriors? Israeli prospect prefers Golden State
As per The Athletic's Ethan Strauss, Deni Avdija prefers the Golden State Warriors over other teams who want to pick him in the draft. As per Strauss, Avdija currently prefers the Warriors, though he has also been linked to the Chicago Bulls. The Warriors, who were apparently "blown away" by the Winner League MVP, have to pick second, and are most likely inclined to choose Avdija or James Wiseman.
As of now, the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers are among other teams looking to draft the Israeli star. Additionally, he also recently met with the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks. Avdija earlier met Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich at the Basketball Without Borders camp in 2018, where he was awarded the MVP award.
As per Strauss, Avdija is seen as a "great kid" with an "immense work ethic". There is also a chance Avdija is being seen as a Luka Doncic-like pick, though his resume is not half as impressive as the Dallas Mavericks star when he entered the NBA. During his workout with the Warriors, Avdija also met coach Steve Kerr. Strauss emphasised that not only did the workouts go well, but the team was also heavily impressed with Avdija. However, Golden State might not select the youngest Israeli League MVP as it will entail a high risk-factor. Furthermore, the Warriors have also been linked to Edwards and even Ball.
Deni Avdija to Bulls?
As per reports, Avdija could be chosen by the Bulls. However, some reports claim he might not be a good fit for the team. Recently, Chicago BullsEye's Fred Pfeiffer had commented on the young basketball star, stating that he has "no elite skills".
Deni Avdija stats
Avdija's performance in the Israeli league for the Maccabi Tel Aviv has been drawing the attention of the NBA for some time. The young star scored 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game this season. However, he was a regular rotation player for the team, which usually does not let young players stay on the court for long.
(Image credits: Deni Avdija Instagram)
Updated 15:18 IST, November 4th 2020