On a recent episode of their "Mind The Game" podcast, LeBron James and Steve Nash highlighted players who have taken a leap this season. Portland Trail Blazers wing Deni Avdija makes their list, and rightfully so.
Avdija is not only in the All-Star conversation, but he's also making a strong case to win Most Improved Player of the Year. This season, he's averaging 25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game, taking major strides offensively as both a playmaker and shot creator.
James mentions that he's a fan of Avdija's game and adds that the Washington Wizards organization is "kicking themselves" for trading away a rising star.
LeBron James praises Deni Avdija's star ascension
One aspect of Avdija's game that Nash highlights is his ability to get to the charity stripe. Avdija averages 9.8 free throw attempts per game and ranks in the top four in foul rate, alongside stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. James agrees, noting Avdija's combination of size and physicality makes him such a difficult matchup for defenses.
"He's a physical, physical driver to the rim. If you don't have a body in front of him -- if you're on the side of him -- then he's going to get that foul call. He's super physical, especially going downhill to his right hand," James said.
Avdija increased his scoring from 16.9 points per game last season, making this an even more lopsided trade for the Blazers. He's proving his ceiling is higher than many expected, justifying Portland's decision to sacrifice valuable draft capital as a rebuilding team. And it's not just the foul creation, either. With an improved three-point shot, Avdija has opened up his entire game.
"He's worked a lot on his outside shooting, too," James said. "When he was in Washington -- that was the one thing he did have -- he's always had this speed with the ball... But this year in particular, I've seen him expand his range and make some shots from the perimeter at a more consistent rate, and it's resulted in him having a breakout career year so far."
Avdija's three-point shot was always the most significant question mark coming over from the Wizards. In his final two seasons with Washington, he improved his three-point efficiency from 29.7 to 37.4 percent. While that was obviously encouraging, it was also so drastic that many wondered if it was sustainable. Fortunately for the Blazers, Avdija's improved shot is here to stay, as he's now hovered around 37% for three consecutive seasons.
Outside of turnovers, it's now hard to poke flaws in his offensive game. And while no one can compare to arguably the greatest player to ever do it, there are similarities in playstyle between Avdija and James as two playmaking wings who thrive on their physicality and size advantages. It's no wonder Avdija gets James' stamp of approval.
"He's a quality player. He's a big-time player."