After sixty games this NBA season, Deni Avdija says with confidence in an interview with Israel Hayom that "this is definitely the best season I have so far in the league." The improvement the Israeli Washington Wizards forward has shown is noticeable in the statistics, but mainly in the demeanor and confidence he exudes on the court. 

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Just before he and his teammates enter the crucial stage of the season, and ahead of the weekend face-off against the Raptors, he talked in this exclusive interview about the on-the-job improvement, the respect he gets in the locker room, and also on the Israeli national team and the possibility it gets a foreign coach. 

Q: Are you going to see yourself and the Wizards in the playoffs this season? 

"I believe we can reach the playoffs. We will have to survive the play-in, which is not going to be easy. Losing to Chicago is not the end of the world because we have another 22 games. But we need to play well, and I believe in us; we have already proved that we can create a winning streak. We need to make sure that we don't get nervous and play as we know."

Q: On a personal level, are you getting closer to your peak? 

"This has indeed been my best season in the NBA so far. I feel that I have matured; that I can rebound better after bad games and that I can better prepare myself for games, that I am more aggressive. I still have a lot more areas where I can improve, but I am happy with my progress. I feel that I am still far off from my peak, both in terms of capability and in terms of confidence. I am glad that I am on track; I do see progress."

Q: I heard you say that people give you more respect in the locker room this season. 

"They give me more respect, they listen to me more in defense and offense. When you are a rookie it's different; when I was a rookie people would not really listen to what I had to say. I feel that I have more leverage today on the staff, my input is considered and that feels great." 

Q: In this league, where numbers have such great importance, have you ever felt that you have been dragged into forced throws? 

"I have never had to truly force throws. I always try to do the right move; perhaps I need to be more aggressive. This is my style; to share the ball and help other players. When I do this I feel that I create positive momentum for the team.

"As for other players who force throws, that's just part of the league. The NBA has a clear hierarchy, and I try to be solid and aggressive; I don't want to reach those places where I force throws." 

After taking part in the disappointing Eurobasket campaign with the Israeli national team in the summer – despite excelling on a personal level during the tournament – Avdija saw his fellow players on the Israeli squad play in the World Cup qualifiers this week. 

Q: It's a weird feeling to watch them from afar, no? 

"It's not weird; it's fun to see this. It's weird that I am not there, but I was glad to see Noam Yaacov playing so well. It's fun to see that we have a future." 

Q: Can he reach the NBA? 

"I never rule out the possibility that a player makes it to the NBA. He needs to work hard and go along a long path; he is very talented. I wish him success in reaching the world's best league and that he continues this trajectory of working hard; he has a great future in store for him." 

Q: What's your opinion on having a foreign coach for Israel's national team? There have been efforts to bring Pablo Laso. 

"I don't really know the coaches that are being considered and their style. I think the best thing is that the coach is connected to the players and that they want to play under his leadership. That there will be equality and hierarchy; that the players are happy." 

Q: Would you like to play under Ariel Beit-Halahmy again? 

"I had two European championships with him, so obviously there is a bond with him that is unique. I experienced good things with him, as well as not-so-good things; I really like him. I really like his style. Some part of me really wants him, the crucial thing is that the team benefits." 

Watch the Washington Wizards take on the Toronto Raptors live on Sport5 and NBA League Pass on Saturday, March 4th at 00:00pm (midnight) as part of the NBA's 'NBA Sundays presented by NBA2K23' Primetime initiative.

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The post 'This has been my best season in the NBA; I have matured' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

If you are not an avid basketball fan, chances are you have never heard of Mickey Moshashvili. He was a rising star all the back when he was playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth clubs, and after turning 16 he left for Canarias Basketball Academy's prestigious youth team. But his career did not take off, and he eventually decided to stop being an active player and relocated to Los Angeles.

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He has recently returned to basketball, this time as the coach. "After seven years in which I was involved in other fields, I came back to this sport and began providing private basketball coaching sessions with Dashletics, a senior personal trainer in California who became my mentor. Thanks to Dashletics I got to work with players such as Ryan Turell and Alfonzo McKinnie (who plays in the Chicago Bulls) and realized that being a basketball coach is my calling."

Video: Mickey Moshashvili

Q: What made you come back to this field after so many years? 

"My love of the game. As a player, I felt that I had not realized my full potential. I had this dream upon arriving in the US that I would return to playing, but I knew that it was not a realistic goal because of my age and level. I tried every possible occupation, but basketball was always in the back of my mind."

When I was 24 I met Dashletics and Phil Handy, who was then assistant coach in the Toronto Raptors, and began working with them as a personal trainer and go to know through them many senior players such as Devin Booker and Chris Paul."

Q: In Israel, people talk a lot about Turell. How was it to work with him? 

"Ryan is a very industrious person, very special and quiet who likes to work hard. Had he not been injured he would have been selected in the NBA draft a long time ago. He plays remarkably well in the developmental league and I hope he continues to represent the Jewish people with great honor."

Q: What are your personal goals in basketball and training? Where do you see yourself in five years? 

Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Jon Spoelstra arrived in the US from the Philipines and started off like me as a video trainer. He is one of my role models and my dream is to become an NBA coach the same way he did. Of course, I would like to be a coach in Europe or in Israel."

Some three months ago, Moshashvili's career took a significant twist when he joined the training staff of the prestigious Sierra Canyon High School in California, which is considered to be one of the most distinguished institutions for developing players. Some of the most promising and talented players are enrolled there too, including Bronny and Bryce James, the sons of Lebron James, as well as Scotty Pippen Jr., the son of Scotty Pippen.

Q: What made you join Sierra Canyon? 

"I had always had this dream to reach the best place in the US when it comes to high schools. Many scoffed at that and dismissed this as a fool's errand but I believe in pursuing my own way. One day I drove to the school and called the secretary's office. I asked to speak with the sports director and to my surprise, she transferred my call. After several minutes of conversation, I was already touring the facilities. I was overcome with emotion; I knew I would do anything to get hired, it was my dream. I gave him a good first impression and he told me that he would be happy to have me come back for a job interview so that I can start taking part in the upcoming season. We stayed in touch, and it happened."

Q: How was the first training session? 

"I was sure I had arrived for a job interview and a meeting, but as soon as I got there, they told me to give a 12-minute personal training session to Lebron's boys and the Pippen's son. I was a bit stressed out and Bronny (Lebron's eldest) immediately picked this up. So he approached me and said, 'You have it in you, bro.' From that moment onwards, I had the best three minutes of my life. The energies were just sky-high and I showed them what I can do best. It suddenly dawned on me that I was training players that I had been regularly watching on television. After the end of the session, I was told that I made a positive impression. I was happy because I knew that I got in. I continued for more weeks on a temporary basis and then then got fully hired as a scouter, player development coach, and video editor in a 2.5-year contract.

Q: What is the routine like in the school?

"It invests heavily in sports. Players get three hours of training every day, not including the gym sessions. Sierra Canyon is a very prestigious institution. Many celebrities send their kids there, including Kim Kardashian, Kevin Hart, Chris Brown, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade, so everything is top-notch."

Q: How much is Lebron James involved in his children's careers? 

Very involved. Not long ago we had an exhibition game of children and parents, and he was there. It's amazing that I can get to see him up close and shake his hand. He shows respect and calls me coach. This is something I will never forget."

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