The Washington Wizards opened training camp on Saturday morning, officially marking the start of Year 3 for Deni Avdija in the NBA. With some semblance of a typical offseason for the first time in his NBA career, there are high hopes for the 21-year-old to take a big step in his contributions this season. Those expectations are temporarily on hold as Avdija continues to recover from a groin injury that he played through at the end of EuroBasket less than two weeks ago.

“It’s something we got to manage,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said after Day 1 of training camp. “You just want to monitor, not push him to the point where we have to shut him down. We’re going to ease him in and ramp him up. He’s available for parts of practice, but we don’t want to throw him out there right now in contact and live stuff.”

Avdija could only observe the overwhelming majority of practice and did not partake in any scrimmaging. After practice, he went through an on-court 1-on-0 workout with player development trainer Joe Ajike, who spent several days with Avdija in Israel leading up to his national team play this summer. Following the workout, Avdija caught his breath sitting on the hardwood floor in the corner of the gym chatting with assistant coach Zach Guthrie. Knowing Washington’s recent cautious approaches to injuries, there is no guarantee Avdija will be a full participant in any of the Wizards’ next three days of training camp practice before departing for Japan.

“I hope so, we’ll see. There’s no real timetable. We just want to ramp him up shortly and make sure he’s good to go before we throw him out there,” Unseld generalized when asked if Avdija is expected to practice anytime Sunday through Tuesday. “He’s had a history of similar issues in the past, we just don’t want to aggravate it.”

“The doctors and the trainers will do the best they can to get me healthy as fast as possible and get me on the court, but for now I trust them, I trust the organization,” Avdija said the day before on Friday afternoon during Media Day.

Despite what should be a short delay, there is plenty of optimism that the 2020 first-round pick will further validate general manager Tommy Sheppard’s decision with the ninth overall pick. The sample size is still somewhat limited, but through two seasons, Avdija is shooting a below-average 31.6 percent (135/427) from beyond the three-point line, which anyone will concede has to improve to stop undercutting his value on the offensive end of the floor. After working with skills trainer extraordinaire Drew Hanlen (whose first clients were Bradley Beal and then Jayson Tatum) in Los Angeles earlier in the summer, Avdija seems confident of improvement.

“It’s been great, I’ve had time to work on my game, work on my body,” Avdija began with a cheery look when asked about having a full offseason. “Getting better at the things I wanted to get better at. Had more time to clear my mind, to get ready for the season. All the things that I worked on, I could express in the Israeli national team playing in the European level. So I enjoyed, I got a lot of experience this offseason and I’m coming ready to the next year [in the NBA].”

“Getting my ball handling better, finishing at the rim was important for me. One of the most important things was the shot. I feel like I got confidence in my shot, shooting step-backs, shooting off the dribble, pick and rolls. I feel great,” Avdija continued to express about the specifics he worked on over the summer.

Team president and general manager Tommy Sheppard watched Avdija’s exceptional 23 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal performance against Finland live in Prague that included an overtime forcing three-pointer that the forward said felt good as soon as it left his hands. Sheppard described the game as a “big point” in Avdija’s career. Of course, the always polite Avdija was appreciative of the support from his front office boss but was also getting a morale boost from franchise player Bradley Beal and a vote of confidence from head coach Wes Unseld Jr.

Deni Avdija hits an off the dribble 3 to force overtime where Israel defeated Finland 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hLSkbiiUO3

— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) September 2, 2022

“The experience that Deni had in those five games there plus the run-up, gave him tremendous confidence,” Sheppard assessed. “Seeing the work that he put in earlier in the summer translate. It’s obvious to our players when they walked in he’s got a little bit more swagger to him.”

Washington Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard and Deni Avdija in Prague minutes ago ahead of Israel in the Eurobsket. Photo @TherealIBBA pic.twitter.com/D1sxyupsQ8

— Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) August 31, 2022

“Just encouragement,” Beal described his communication with Avdija from DC when tracking his summer play. “Obviously playing with his national team, they always have huge expectations for him and for them to reach the pinnacle they are trying to reach as a nation. He’s a big part of that. It’s unfortunate he got a little banged up, got hurt. We’re going to need him, he’s so special. He was joking with me today, ‘you’re lucky I don’t have to guard you.’ Just having that mentality, with him to see him stepping up into that, that’s fun to see. I’m excited to have him back and I’m always there to push him and help him be as best as he can possibly be.”

“I was very pleased,” Unseld said earlier in the week. “Just watching the games and having conversations with Deni throughout that window. Him taking on more of a leadership role with that group. They were counting on him to be a big piece of what they did and how they did it. To go through some of those bumps in the road, gives him that feel, that experience. There’s really no way to simulate it, you can’t get it in practice. When you have to go through it in real-time, that’s the best learning tool.”

Following a productive summer of development that included some mental recharging on the beach “drinking some good wine”, Avdija will be back shortly competing for the starting small forward position that Unseld described as “wide open.” Washington is expecting a step in the right direction from all of their young talent as they look to make noise in the improved Eastern Conference this season and Avdija is certainly a big part of that.