2020 NBA draft profile: International prospect Deni Avdija

Deni Avdija’s weaknesses

Aspects of Deni Avdija’s physicality have been pointed out as potential weaknesses. For one, his 6’9″ wingspan is surprisingly short for his matching height of 6’9″. His lankiness is also a concern, as a bigger frame would allow him to be a better defender, better in the post, and less susceptible to injury. On the other hand, however, Deni’s size is what allows him to be agile and versatile.

Deni Avdija’s shooting is probably the most alarming weakness. In an NBA that greatly values the 3-pointer and in need of stretch-4’s, he will want to improve his shooting numbers. It’s not that he can’t be a good shooter, but Deni’s shooting has been rather inconsistent, and pull-up jumpers are also missing from his game. Previously, we stated Deni’s ability to draw fouls, but his free throw percentages don’t align. In this past season, Deni shot a 59.4 free throw percentage in the Israeli League and 55.6 percent from behind the line in the EuroLeague.

Overall, Deni’s physicality should not be a cause for concern because at 19 years old, he is sure to grow into his body and height. The more important key to look out for is how much of his mobility he would maintain. The real flaw in Deni’s game is his inconsistent shooting and bad free throw rates.