After a one-season hiatus, there is again an Israeli representative in the NBA, and one who got there from the front door. After being selected ninth in the draft by Washington, Danny Abdia Will make his first official moves in the best league in the world on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, when he will be hosted by Philadelphia. Just a moment ago, he told about his new adventure in an exclusive interview for “Open Ground.”
Danny, what is it like to play in the best league in the world?
“It’s a dream come true. I worked hard to get here. It was far until the draft day. I can honestly say I had some concerns. It’s not easy to get to a place you do not know, a completely different culture of basketball, players you saw on TV and now you see in reality, “So it takes a while to adjust, until you find an apartment and a car, but in the end I play basketball and do what I love and in the best league you can get to, so for me it will just continue like this.”
What is a pressure gauge / excitation?
“Luckily, this will not be my first NBA game. I’ve already passed the market of the first game. I’m just glad everyone’s behind me. For me the best thing that can happen is that our people are behind and support me and I will try to represent as respectfully as possible, but there should be “Patient. There could be better games, less good, this is a very long season. This is my first year, it’s a process that takes time, but in the end I hope we can achieve good results.”
Tell us about your connection with Westbrook and Bill
My connection with them is good. They give me some things to do here and there, some chores for the ‘new guy’, Rocky’s commitments. In the end on the pitch they are the most supportive of me in the world and want to help me and see that I progress. They are very competitive, something mine “It’s very important. In the end, it’s not just the two of them, the whole group treats me amazingly, and I think we can achieve beautiful things together.”
What did they let you do as a rookie?
“More to buy things for the flight for the guys, to tease me to buy things, but I do it with love, it’s part of the chores as everyone went through the league. Besides, I have not yet encountered anything unusual or unusual. Russell gave me a list of snacks he wants for the plane. “It’s not the easiest to get them, but I succeeded. Besides, they really treat me amazing.”
How to live with the pressure of expectations, even before the season started
“There have always been expectations. This is not the first time I’ve encountered something with a lot of expectations. I’ve experienced this before. It’s part of the profession in the end. I have no way to avoid it. I like pressure, I like people behind and supporting me, even if there is no “I have a good game, it could happen. I hope not. I know no matter what, people who love me are always there for me and support me and always want me to succeed, so for me there is no pressure. Just get on the field, play your game and have fun.”
Do you prefer to start with a quintet or get off the bench at first?
“For me, where I can show Danny, win games, be part of the team and help the team, no matter which way, I will do it. I did it in Maccabi Tel Aviv and I will do it in Washington as well. I know how to handle all possible situations. I’m ready for anything, but I do not have anything I prefer. “
What are your ambitions of yourself this season?
“Being stable, especially my game and being patient. I work hard, it’s a long season. You never know what can happen. I only hope for the best and I am optimistic. Enjoy every moment and get better every day.”
It’s a challenge piece to get to the age of 19 as a stranger to a new place
“It’s a challenge because you become an independent person who has to take care of all his bills, who has to choose a house, who has to choose a car, who has to take care of family. It’s not easy. You have a lot of things on your mind outside of basketball, but that’s why I put the envelope around me. That it’s his agents, that it’s Matan (Simantov) who was here, that it’s Veliko (Provich) who’s my mom who’s with me. Everyone’s here to make me calm on the field. That I do not have to think about other things. “Besides, Washington is a bit lifeless right now because of the corona, but I hope the corona will run out, we will get back to normal and everyone will be healthy and then there will be more things to do here.”
Leaving a company in the country as well
“It’s hard, but the NBA, to their credit, is helping with visa matters.”
Are there longings for all kinds of little things in the country that Israel lacks?
“I do not want to sound spoiled, but unequivocally yes. I am a man who loves the house terribly, I had a good time at home. I am a person who loves his friends terribly, his environment, the language. I was terribly comfortable. I was in a very comfortable area. I played. In the team I love, with the audience I love.Suddenly leave everything and start all this way anew and rebuild yourself without knowing it is really hard.Now say, you had a bad game, you sit the next day with friends in the morning and drink coffee and forget about the game you had.No. “I have it. My brain has to deal with it alone. There’s nothing to do, it’s hard, but it will strengthen me even more and I hope that when all the corona is over, they will be able to come and visit me. Of course I miss it.”
Need a coach to deal with this new situation
“I like to be my own coach. I know my brain best. I have faced difficulties in the past and I sometimes need this time to be alone and calm myself and sometimes maybe watch some video from a game I liked or go through a gallery of videos I had with my friends “In Israel, which really helps me motivate. Besides, I’m a strong person, I think, so I’ll manage.”
Are there any things that surprised you in the new place you are in?
“I can tell you that I train from 08:30 in the morning until 15:00. Like a school day. Returns me to high school. Tough. There are a lot of flights, but what surprised me for good are the conditions. They take care of you and give you treatments and a nutritionist … really “Everything you need to be the best on the pitch. You’re getting older and you need to know how to take care of your body. It gives me a lot of motivation to keep playing in the best way I can.”