What 'pissed' Wizards' Deni Avdija about LeBron James' elbow to the head

07/04/2024 02:53

Last Wednesday night, Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija took an elbow to the head from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

After taking the hit, Avdija was forced to sit out the fourth quarter of the Wizards’ 125-120 loss.

Avidja spoke about the incident with Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.com:

"My brain isn't damaged. So, that's a good sign," mentioned the Israeli forward, "The docs did a good job of checking on me and making sure I'm staying healthy. I got cleared in shootaround in the morning, and all went well. I was ready to play. Not a big deal."

The Wizards forward elaborated on what specifically upset him on the play.

"I don't think he did it on purpose," Avdija rejected malignity on the part of James, "I at least expected like if I get hit in the face or I hit somebody in the face, I expect to go and check on him. I felt like he didn't do it. So, that got me a little bit pissed off. At the end of the day, it's sports. I'm going to get hit, I don't care, even if I get concussed. Part of it is just being a person and coming and asking, 'How are you feeling?'. It just shows good sportsmanship. I felt like he didn't do it, which is OK. It's fine. I got over it."

Wizards’ Deni Avdija making a name for himself

Last month against the New Orleans Pelicans, Avdija had a night that should give supporters of the team something to be hopeful for.

Avdija has flashed the all-around game that made him one of the best prospects available in the 2020 NBA Draft. But this season, the Wizards forward is also showcasing an improved scoring game that bodes well for his long-term future as one of the best glue guys in the association.

Despite the Wizards’ 133-126 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Deni Avdija showed up and meant business, dropping a career-high 43 points to go along with 14 rebounds and six three-pointers. According to StatMuse, Avdija became the first player in franchise history to tally those numbers in a single game, which simply goes to show how far the 23-year old’s game has come.

Avdija has always had solid ballhandling, defense, and rebounding — hallmarks of an incredible team player that every contending team needs. But now, the Wizards forward is addressing one of the biggest weaknesses that has been holding his game back. His 3-point shot is drastically improved this season. After shooting sub 32 percent in his first two seasons, and just 29 percent last season, Avdija is shooting the 3-pointer at a solid 37.7 percent clip this year.

On the season, Avdija is averaging a career-high 14.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He is also shooting an impressive 50.8 percent from the floor.

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