This was Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first game in the Euroleague for the 2019/20 season. A minute and a half into the end Himaki led 78:83 in Moscow, and suddenly 18-year-old Danny Abdia found himself on the floor in Money Time. Anthony Gil, one of Himki’s stars, got a ball for an easy basket but Abdia arrived in time to block it and leave the Yellows a chance to come out with the win. A year and two months later, the two are collaborating on the Washington Wizards uniform.
Unlike Abdia’s “standard” trip to the NBA, Gil’s path to the top was much different. He signed for the 2016 draft with his Virginia College teammate Malcolm Brogdon (who won the rookie title this season), but he was not selected by the NBA team. .
Then came the summer of 2020. Gil decided to leave Russia, and at the age of 28, just two days after Abdia was chosen by Washington – he too fulfilled his dream and joined a team from the capital. A, about the move to the NBA and Danny Abdia, with everything you see from there.
You have come a long and winding way until the dream comes true, and now you can look in the mirror and see an NBA player in front of you. How does it feel?
“Feels amazing. My way is definitely different from most of the players, but I was right to move to Europe. I got to experience different cultures and different types of basketball, and I enjoyed every second. The overriding goal is of course to be in the NBA and play with the best in the world. “I’m not here just to be here, I want to influence the team.”
A few weeks ago you told me you’re waiting for the free agent market in the NBA to open before you decide on your next move. Did you know that an offer is coming from the league in general and Washington in particular?
“Yes, I have been waiting for this offer for a long time. My family and I left Russia in March when the Corona virus broke out and canceled the Euroleague season, and all this time I was here at home in the United States. I knew it was the right time for me to make the NBA leap, and I knew Washington did. “The reason is that General Manager Tommy Shepherd has been in touch with my agents for a long time. He’s been following me for several years.”
“I’m glad I’m playing for Tommy’s team because he made sure there was an amazing bunch of people here. In addition to the professional part, he emphasized the character of the players, coaches and management. It could be seen when the Wizards chose Danny Abdia. He’s a great player and also a son. A wonderful person. ”
Did you have an option to sign with the NBA team even earlier in your career?
“It was always an option that depended on me and my desire to make the leap. The consideration was economic. It was more right for me to stay in Russia than to move here. This year we decided to put the money aside and follow the dream.”
During the last summer, a number of reports were published that Maccabi Tel Aviv is interested in joining you.
“It was definitely on the agenda. Maccabi Tel Aviv is a great club and it is a privilege to play there. When they approached me in the summer of course I put a lot of thought into the offer, but for me and my family we wanted to move to the US and it paid off.
You yourself played several times against Maccabi Tel Aviv, including a great game in March 2018 in which you scored a crucial three and finished with 24 points. What do you remember from the meetings against the Yellows?
“Maccabi, Tel Aviv and Israel are beautiful places. Every time I was there I felt at home. I can not say what is so special about this place, maybe it’s the sea, maybe it’s the food. The people are also amazing. I loved Russia but it always snowed there, so “It was fun to get to the sun of Tel Aviv. I really want to take my family there. I wanted to last summer but the Corona prevented the trip.”
How do you sum up the reunion with Joe Harris (played together in Virginia) in the game against Brooklyn?
“Great. It was wonderful to see him. It was the first time we’ve stood on the same floor since college, and that’s a blessing, because in most cases you don’t get to play against your friends from college. It felt amazing to talk to him before and after the game, and overall it’s fun. “Going home to family and friends. Malcolm Brogdon is like my brother, and Steph Kerry’s sister was with me at school. Steph too, but he’s older than me.”
What was it like meeting Danny Abdia in Washington, and what were your initial impressions of him?
“He’s a great person, that’s the first thing that popped into my head. He’s very humble, I remember meeting him for the first time and by his demeanor you could not tell he was a lottery pick (Top 14). Danny is just great, he’s not like most young stars chosen early “In the draft and they give you a feeling of ‘Don’t turn to me.’
Describe to us Abdia’s debut against Brooklyn from the point of view of a Washington actor.
“I do not think anyone is as happy for him as I was happy. I was so excited to see him succeed already in his first game. Sometimes he can be a little tough with himself, but in that game he did not miss a single shot, it was amazing. He needed it, “The Wizards fans needed it and so did the fans in Israel. Danny is here to play. He has great potential and I’m glad he’s in that team.
What were the reactions in the team during the game?
“Everyone said the same thing – ‘Danny bombed tonight’, it was sharp and clear. Still, he did not miss a shot, kept excellent, shared great dedication and closed for a rebound. We were all happy for him that night but the thing with the NBA is that every few days there are “You have another game. I wholeheartedly believe that he will continue this ability throughout the season.”
Do you think the attitude towards Danny has changed in the team since that game?
“No, because they appreciated him before. I don’t think his ability made the players look at him differently, because everyone knew he could play and he was very talented. That’s why Washington brought him here. Anyway, we were all really happy for him.”
You too got an initial taste of the NBA.
“It was interesting. I didn’t play too much (2:27 minutes) but I was happy to be there on the floor, it was exciting. Like I said before, the goal is to constantly want more and more. I will continue to fight every practice, I will be optimistic and it will pay off.”
What can you tell us about Danny’s relationship with Russell Westbrook and Bradley Bill?
“These two guys teach him every day. They’re experienced players and they’ve got what Danny wants to achieve. These are two of the best players the NBA has to offer, both All-Star players. He learns from them, and they try to take him under their wing. They They teach him how the league works, what it takes to be successful, what needs to be done every day and along the way they challenge him a bit. “
From what you see and hear, Westbrook and Bill were impressed with her loss?
“Yeah, everyone was really impressed with him. It’s a long season, he needs to keep his fitness and I have no doubt he will do it. He’s such a great talent and such a good player, so I’m sure he will continue his ability.”
A lot of people questioned Abdia’s shooting, and then came the game against the Hunts. Does he score like that in training too? Did this ability surprise you?
“I was not really surprised. In every re-training he proved he can throw from the outside. He makes the right decisions on and off the pitch, and once he has the free look he always scores. If there is one thing that will surprise everyone this season – it’s Danny’s steady shooting.”
What will be Abdia’s main role this season?
“He’s a player who does everything on the floor, and the Wizards will have to get some of everything from him this season. When Russell and Bradley are on the bench he will lead the ball, he will take free throws, produce for other players and save. I think he will do a little of everything because that’s the talent. The NBA has no talent like Danny who can do anything on the field. ”
And what do you think will be your role in the group?
“Playing hard, that’s what I do. I will not be the most talented player on the floor but I will give everything I have, I will fight, I will take rebounds and I will try to score the free shots I will have. In addition I will play an important role in defense. I like to save and whenever I have the opportunity “To keep the best players in the world I would like to meet this challenge. If you want to describe my game at trial, call me ‘the guy who works hard and fights’.”
What are your personal goals for the upcoming season?
“I expect myself to give 100% every time I step on the floor, whether I get two minutes, 20 minutes or 40. I will give everything I have in every game and that way I will gain the trust and appreciation of the coaching staff. I will not ask to enter the game, I want to earn the minutes My honesty. ”
Do you think your game will change following the move from the Euroleague to the NBA?
“Not at all. In the Euroleague I played a lot of minutes and here I will have a hard time doing it because there are so many proven players in our squad, but for me my game will not change. I will continue to fight and play the same way.”
In what position does Scott Brooks expect you to play?
“Right now in training I play in all sorts of positions and not just 4. The most important thing is that I keep a few positions. In every training I meet this challenge and I like it. Whenever there is a spare in the block and a guard stands in front of me, I take the challenge and really go in. For that. ”
Not easy to keep Russell Westbrook.
“Absolutely. He’s fast and strong. When I guard him I try to stay in front of him and interrupt him. He’s such an offensive talent that you have not too much to do to stop him but the goal is to slow him down.”
The Washington media occasionally releases videos from training, and most of the time we see you and Danny playing with the second five. Did you or Danny play with the top five as well?
“Coach Brooks changes the top five in every training session. Obviously, Danny has played more times than me with Westbrook, Bill and the other top players. In the previous game he also started in the top five, that was significant for him. I hope we keep seeing him get better.”
How did Danny fit in with the opening five in training?
“Excellent. Like I said, he’s such a great talent that he can do anything. He’s suited to any situation that the coach puts him in and he always finds a way to be effective.”
What is the moment of Abdia that has impressed you the most so far?
“After one of the training sessions Scott Brooks asked him to throw with his left hand from the half and all he had to do was hit the ring. If he hadn’t succeeded, we would have had to run, but he succeeded.”
How is the relationship between the two of you?
“I’m just happy that Danny is with me in this team, I can lean on him and vice versa. We both have a similar background from the Euroleague, it’s the basis of our relationship and it will develop over time. He’s a great guy and fun to be with off the field. We talked a lot about our experiences in Israel and Russia.”
What do you think of Abdia’s ceiling?
“If he continues to work hard, he definitely has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. The club’s management and all the coaches in Washington strongly believe in Danny, so his ceiling depends on him. I’m sure he will be at the top.”
Before we finish, tell us about the situation in the group in terms of the “training assignments” given to the Rockies off the floor.
“First of all I still didn’t have to do anything. The guys are not asking the Rockies to do too much, and certainly not from me because I am an older Rocky. When we flew to New York Danny was asked to bring everyone some snacks, nothing too special in the meantime.”
What do you have to say to the Israeli audience?
“Continue with your special spirit. You are such a strong country and everyone loves you. I personally love you and I look forward to coming and visiting. You have had a warm place in my heart from the little time I was there.”
