WASHINGTON, DC – The Washington Wizards announced today that the team has signed forward Deni Avdija to a contract extension. Per team policy, the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Deni has many of the characteristics that we value in the players who represent our organization. He has a team-first mentality, works hard on his craft, competes with toughness, and is committed to improving the community,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. “That hard work has resulted in the year-to-year development of his overall game and we’re excited to have him continue that progress as a Wizard.”
Avdija was originally selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and has appeared in 212 games with Washington over the past three seasons, posting career averages of 8.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 24.8 minutes per game. The native of Israel improved in points, rebounds and assists per game in each of his three seasons with the Wizards, setting career marks in points (9.2), rebounds (6.4), assists (2.8) and steals (0.9) per game with a career-best .437 shooting percentage from the floor in 2022-23.
Over the past two seasons, Avdija has appeared in 158 of 164 games, including all 82 during the 2021-22 campaign. The 22-year-old started in a career-high 40 games in 2022-23, averaging 9.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in those contests. Avdija posted 15 double-digit rebound efforts during the 2022-23 season, including a 20-rebound performance in a win over the Bulls on Jan. 11. His 11 double-doubles during the 2022-23 season also marked a career high.