Blazers Forward Deni Avdija Opens Up on Head Coach Chauncey Billups

The Portland Trail Blazers made a smart move by trading for Deni Avdija before the 2024-25 season started. He has turned into one of the players that the Blazers should build around.

Avdija was able to show what he is capable of as a scorer and a rebounder at the wing spot. That's something that the Blazers find extremely valuable, especially coach Chauncey Billups.

The 24-year-old liked what Billups was able to bring to him in terms of just being coached by him for just one year. He liked what Billups was able to bring to him and the team.

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It looks like Avdija enjoys being coached by Billups, based on recent comments he made.

"I see the precision in the little details, the fire in his eyes, the drive. He's a winner at heart. That shows a lot about our style of play. Even against big teams, when we come in as underdogs, we never give up and always play hard. That's something he instilled in us."

The Trail Blazers are still a very young team, so Billups needs to show them what it takes to be a winning team. He won perhaps the most outlier championship in the history of the league back in 2004 with the Pistons.

Portland is not close to being a title contender, but Avdija understands that it takes a long journey to get to the point that this team can not just make the playoffs, but contend when they get there.

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Avdija is only going to get better as a player, but he understands what Billups can help him achieve. He made the team a defensive-first team this past season.

Portland is going to look at Avdija for even more offensive production next year as they look to establish an offensive identity. He's an efficient shooter and is only getting better from beyond the 3-point arc.

This past season, his first with the Trail Blazers, Avdija averaged 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. He shot 47.6 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

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