Shortly after the official announcement of Chauncey Billups’ contract extension with Portland and following the Trail Blazers' 109-81 victory over the Lakers in the final game of the regular season, Deni Avdija reflected on his best NBA season to date, which he finished with averages of 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
"I think we showed a lot of growth this season, especially starting a little slow," said the Israeli player about his team, which finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record. "We had that streak in the middle of the season that showed that we were capable of winning. We're capable of being together and winning games. The future is super bright. I love playing with this team." Avdija made the remarks during a meeting on Sunday evening with reporters.
Regarding the decision to extend Chauncey Billups’ contract, Avdija said: "I’m excited. I texted him this morning. I was like, 'Congratulations, well-deserved.' I had a lot of fun playing for Chauncey. He's a competitor, he wants to win. He doesn't give up on any play. He's always trying to win, he's always trying to compete. I like that about him because I grew up playing like that. So, I'm just happy. Our future's bright in terms of the talent of players, but also he's our leader now going forward. He knows everybody, he knows what we need, and we have stability to improve for next year."
On his connection with Billups, the 48-year-old coach who has been with Portland since 2021 and under whom Avdija has thrived personally, he said: "He trusted me, and he put me in situations to be successful. He understood my potential, he understood what areas of the game I'm good at, and he put me in the right spots. When you put somebody in the right spots, and you give them belief, and you really want them to be good, it shows. He did it great this year."
When discussing goals for the upcoming season, Avdija said: "The next steps for me are to become a great two-way player, be more involved on the defensive end. But mostly, I know I need to work on my left hand a little bit, being able to counter better. That's about it. I don't really think about it that much. I have a very good group around me of coaches that know what I need to improve on, and I trust them. Our development coaches, we're going to sit down and talk about what I need to improve, and we'll make it happen."
Reflecting on his adjustment process at the beginning of the season, he added: "At the end of the day, I'm a human being. Coming from a whole different team, getting traded here after D.C. being my home for four years… All the new players—it’s hard to adjust, especially on the court, but also off the court, building chemistry. They’ve got to know your game, what you like to do on the court. It’s tough. It’s built with time, and I needed that time to kind of fit in. But once I did, and everybody welcomed me with open arms, I didn’t look back."
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On his approach to the future, he said: "Just keep playing hard and don’t worry about the future. Everything happens for a reason. I feel like I work hard in the gym, and the hard work pays off in the end. But also, control the things I can control. Me going to the bench—the best thing I could have done was not bring my head down, not be mad or sad about it. I tried to make the most out of my situation, and I grinded."
On Portland’s goal of making the playoffs next season, he said: "I think being able to close games a little better, be more focused at the end of games. We’ve got to be more disciplined. On defense, sometimes it’s tough. But those are the two most important things: closing games and being more focused with personnel, learning the players we play against. That’s a big step for us."
Avdija concluded the conversation by addressing the upcoming EuroBasket tournament this summer: "Representing my country is important to me, and it will also prepare me for next season in terms of fitness and leadership. It’s something I won’t give up on."