Has Deni Avdija proven himself as one of the NBA’s best defenders?

Expectations were high for former Wizards first-round pick Deni Avdija, but who could honestly say that they saw this coming?

Deni has proven himself as the Wizards top defender, 13 games into the season. Avdija has come into this season with more swagger, confidence, and grittiness than he had shown in his rookie campaign.

Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr recently had high praise for Avdija, telling the media that he has been active in his development as a player, even seeking coaches to watch extra game film. If you ask me, Deni has the markings of a player that won’t settle for anything other than being great.

Here’s a quick question for D.C. Sports fans, when’s the last time you’ve seen a player get excited for defensive stops in today’s NBA?

Deni is taking pride in being one of Wizards top defenders going into each game. The most exciting part about Deni’s great defensive start to the season is his swagger. If you haven’t noticed, Deni throws up the “X” to signal a big defensive stop.

This not only energizes him as a player, but it also energizes the fan base. If Deni continues to play defense at a high level, it’ll make things easier for Bradley Beal, and Spencer Dinwiddie, allowing them to focus primarily on ball handling and scoring.

The road to stay atop of the eastern conference standings won’t be easy, but it will start and finish with how well this team can continue to play defense. If I had to use music to describe Deni defensively, I would remix NLE Choppas Walk Em Down song, saying “you can send your best man, he going strap your best shooter”.