The Washington Wizards have fully committed to a rebuild, after trading away franchise cornerstone, Bradley Beal. They have a good core of young players which consists of the likes of Jordan Poole, Corey Kispert, and Deni Avdija. With Avdija in his fourth NBA season, many Washington fans would hope that Avdija can make a leap into NBA stardom. Recently, Avdija bagged a rookie contract extension, further solidifying his place in the team.

But his celebrations have been muted, as Avdija, an Israeli national, is more concerned with the situation in his motherland.

Avdija concerned by the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Tensions between Israel and Hamas have been simmering for years. The situation reached a boiling point on October 7th when Hamas breached Israeli borders and launched attacks on several Israeli towns. The act gained widespread condemnation from all corners of the basketball community. On October 23rd, Deni Avdija, an Israeli national, signed a four-year rookie contract extension worth $55 million with the Wizards.

In a recent interview with the Athletics’ David Aldridge, Avdija stated: “I’m (watching) on the news every day. I’m praying for my people. I’m checking on my friends. It’s a situation, it’s got to end. And it’s really tough for me. And my mind, sometimes, is there”.

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He added further, “But I’ve got to keep it professional. I’ve gotta do my job. And when I have the chance to stand with Israel and stand with my country, I will.”

During these challenging times, Avdija might find it hard to concentrate on basketball, given the larger issues at hand. Nonetheless, as Avdija emphasized, maintaining professionalism is essential.

Avdija an Integral Part of Wizards’ Future

The 2023-24 season will mark the first time the Wizards won’t feature the talismanic presence of Bradley Beal. The Wizards have completely overhauled their roster and are looking to start afresh. Poole and Kuzma provide a solid base to build upon. They also added super-efficient point guard Tyus Jones to their roster. The partnership of him and Poole in the back-court could provide a platform for the Wizards to launch a playoff push.

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The Wizards have also shown confidence in Avdija by offering him a new contract. Avdija was ecstatic as it showed the hierarchy’s faith in him to develop into a future star for the Wizards. He said, “It means a lot about yourself as a player and as a person. I wanted to stay in D.C. I feel like D.C. is my home. I love the fans, I love the city, and I know we can do really great things in the future”. After bagging a new contract, can Avdija take the next step into stardom? Let us know in the comments below!

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