Together with Eran Zehavi, Danny Abdia is the most popular Israeli athlete in the last two years. The third Israeli in history to reach the NBA and the first to do so when he was selected in the top ten in the draft, is the basketball player with the greatest potential who has grown in Israel.
Abdia began his second season in the Washington Wizards uniform last week, having recovered in the summer from an ankle injury. His rookie season in the best league in the world has been relatively good, but this season the expectations from him are already skyrocketing - and accordingly the pressure gauge. In recent months Abdia has worked with the experts the club has made available to him, to come back stronger and better. A few days before the start of the season, the Israeli talent was informed that the team had fulfilled the third season in his contract, a move that usually indicates that the club sees him as a significant part of the team in the coming years.
"Danny is a tremendous player who improves every day, and we certainly see him as part of our organization for many years," said Tommy Shepherd, Washington's general manager and the man who brought Abdia to the U.S. capital team, in an exclusive interview with Israel This Week.
What goals has Washington set for this season?
"First of all, he will help the team," Shepherd smiles. "We want him to be a star in his role. To be a defensive player, a good rebounder, one who drives the game and does things and moves. "Sides of the field, in defense and offense."
Israeli NBA fans who watched the Wizards' games last season have often speculated about the fact that Russell Westbrook and Bradley Bill, the team's two stars, completely controlled the attacking game. Abdia, in his first season, stood too often on the sidelines, waiting for crumbs on offense. But last summer Washington sent Westbrook a trade to LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers, and Bill - who has refused to be vaccinated against Corona and suffered an injury in recent weeks - also seems less dominant in the meantime. Abdia, on the other hand, seems to be involved in pre-season games, but in the first three games of the season has retreated again. However, in a season of 82 games, it is too early to determine what this season will look like.
When I ask Shepherd if this season we will see Abdia more dominant on offense, he replies: "Without a doubt. He is very good at managing the game and we want it to develop. It is important to remember that it is difficult to be a NBA rookie. Danny had a complex role, "We are very good in our good victories last season. I believe he will do a good job this year and will continue to move forward and fulfill the hopes we pinned on him."
"Must compete with the good"
Back one year back, to November 19, 2020: the eve of the historic draft. Abdia was supposed to be selected in a higher place in the draft, perhaps even among the first five picks. Early estimates ranged from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls to catch him. Shepherd, and the rest of the professionals in Washington, who held the No. 9 election - did not at all think that the Israeli would remain vacant until a donor arrived to vote.
"He was fifth on our list and we did not think he would be available," Shepherd admits. It was a wonderful moment, we were excited and we are so happy that it worked out. "
When NBA clubs choose a player from the first ten picks, they actually put all their prestige and reputation on it. In a league that is largely built on phenomenal personal ability, staff building is often tailored to the star's abilities and style of play, but there is a great deal of patience for adapting time in the demanding league and large, stressful systems. However, in Washington one thinks not only of the future but also of the present. This summer, some quality players have been brought to the club, such as Kyle Kozma, who won the championship with the Lakers two seasons ago, who play in more or less the same positions as Abdia.
However, Shepherd believes there is "no reason" Danny will not compete with good players for his position.
"Danny is a very competitive player, and no less important - he is also a good member of the team who knows how to deal with situations. From the experience I have gained I know that the key to being a good NBA player is to want to constantly improve and compete with the best players. If you want to be quality In a league like this, you always have to be ready to play and take the chances as soon as they come. "
When you imagine Abdia as a whole and mature player in his frame - what kind of actor do you see?
"Someone who wants to win every night, IQ high basketball and a strong player who fits the physicality of the league. We want him to be a player who makes his friends better, and for that he needs to keep getting better and evolving."
Many in Israel wonder if Danny could be an All-Star (to be included in a game that brings together the 24 biggest stars in the world). What is your answer to that?
"The sky is the limit for Danny. He has an amazing work ethic and patience, and for me he can go as far as possible."
"Plans for the Israeli Market"
The choice of Abdia benefited the Wizards not only professionally but also marketing.
The club's ties with the capital's large Jewish community in the capital have intensified over the past year, as well as with Israeli communities across the United States, many of whom attend the Washington Games when they arrive in their city. Last season, when some of the corona restrictions were lifted and teams were allowed to enter the stands - Abdia was already injured, but this season it is likely that we will see quite a few Israeli flags in the stands at the team games in the various halls.
Shepard explains that apart from his national identity, Abdia gained a positive reputation even before he arrived in the NBA, when he starred in the Euroleague games of Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Israeli national team. "There are a lot of people who liked Danny even before he played one game in Washington," he says, "of course it got worse after he started playing here. He continues to inspire more people as time goes on."
The inspiration that Avdia inspires is not only for fans, but for the entire Israeli basketball. The industry is also flourishing professionally in recent years: the young teams have recorded great successes in the various championships; Many young players have emerged and are an important part of the local Premier League; And the selection of Yam Madar - Abdia's best friend - in the second round of the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, also contributed to the buzz. Although Madar plays in Europe, he is on the right path to a brilliant career and excels on the best stage - with the legendary basketball coach Zeljko Oberdovic, in the Serbian Empire Partizan Belgrade.
Abdia's choice as one of the best young players in the world was the icing on the cake, causing more talented Israeli players to strive as far as possible.
It also leads NBA professionals to examine the Israeli player market more closely - a matter that was only a dream a few years ago.
"The NBA is constantly trying to grow and there are programs that are specifically aimed at the Israeli market," Shepard reveals.
"The players and coaches in Israel understand the game well and we see that. I think Danny has helped Israeli basketball grow a lot and that is something that will definitely be seen in the coming years."
Tommy Shepherd Photography: AFP,
"Chance? Only with proper management"
Shepherd (52) is one of the most respected and veteran professionals in the NBA. As early as 1991, at the age of only 22, he served as an assistant professor of sports administration at New Mexico State University. He then served as head of sports information at the University of Nevada, and by 1994 had already accepted his first job in the league — about eight years as senior manager at the Denver Nuggets and head of its scouting and public relations department.
After nine years in Colorado, Shepherd joined the Wizards in 2003. Since then, he has been one of the strongest people in the club. Initially, he served as vice president of basketball for Jewish President Ernie Grunfeld, and was responsible for rebuilding the team around stars John Wall and Bradley Bill. In April 2019 he was temporarily given the position of professional manager and a few months later was appointed permanently.
"The professional manager is responsible for putting the whole team together and making sure everyone does their job well," Shepard explains of the importance of the role in modern basketball. "Coaches, scouts, player developers and agents - everything comes together for a general manager. It is important for me to note that it is not just one person but an entire team that supports the general manager's work and the organization's success. Israel probably remembers Andrew Kennedy (starred in Israel In the 90s and early 2000s - YM), which is now used by our international scout. Like Andrew, we have many others who do a good job in the various departments. "
What is your philosophy in building a roster of players? What are the things that are most important to you?
"It is important to me that there are good, quality people, young people who can develop, unselfish guys who like to win and compete and have a high work ethic. When you manage to put together such a bunch of players - you significantly increase your chances of success."
Shepherd, apparently due to league rules, prefers not to address the issue that is currently stirring the NBA and the rest of American sports - the refusal of leading stars, such as Kyrie Irving, to get vaccinated against the Corona. As mentioned at his club, the star of the team, Bradley Bill - the most valuable player - refuses to be vaccinated for personal reasons. However, Shepherd is encouraged by the fact that the vast majority of players on the team and in the league are immunized. "The goal is to take care of the safety of all the players," he says, making it clear that the issue was being handled by the league's commissioner, Adam Silver.
For the professional goals for the coming season and the coming years he is definitely willing to address, and is not afraid to aim high.
The Wizards' only championship was achieved in 1978, and since 1979 it has not even reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
The success of the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, two teams that reached the league finals last season after years of failures, whets his appetite as well.
"Every team has a chance to do something with the right management," Shepard explains, "It's not a dream for us to reach the finals and compete for everything - but a goal. That's another reason Danny Abdia is so important to us. We have big games for us. "
