Even Trail Blazers Star Deni Avdija Thought He Would Be on the Bulls

The Bulls were heavily tied to Deni Avdija in the lead-up to the 2020 NBA Draft, so much so that the Portland star admitted that he thought he would be in Chicago.

Nov 19, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) looks on during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

As the 2020 NBA Draft inched closer, no prospect was connected more to the franchise than Deni Avdija. An overseas prodigy who was already playing professionally in Israel, many viewed him as a potential fit for Arturas Karnisovas' new squad. The draft was also wide-open after the Top 3 picks, who were widely assumed to be Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball in some order.

Nevertheless, Karnisovas and his brain trust made their first of many questionable moves. The now-fired executive selected Patrick Williams with his first-ever first-round pick. A sixth-man out of Florida State and the youngest NCAA prospect in the class, he undoubtedly gained some fans during the pre-draft process. But did anyone see him going as high as No. 4?

As Avdija remembers it, not at all. The Portland Trail Blazers forward commented on this during a recent episode of The Young Man & The Three. Not only did Avdija head into draft night thinking he would be a Bull, but he mentioned how caught off guard he was by Chicago's decision to bring in Williams:

“The whole world thought Chicago was going to take me at four. It made the most sense," Avdija said. "And then when Chicago drafted Patrick Williams it was a surprise. Nobody really thought about him going four. Nobody really knew his name. I feel like after he got drafted four, then it started be like messy.”

I'm sure Bulls fans will be totally normal about this and not overreact at all!

Deni Avdija Talks Bulls' Draft Night

Apr 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) moves the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Let's first remember that the bad man is gone. As frustrating as this might be, it's one of the many reasons the Chicago Bulls opted to move on from Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley in recent weeks. The decision to draft Patrick Williams clearly did not pan out, and the Bulls only made it a million times worse by giving him a five-year, $90.0 million fully guaranteed contract.

At the same time, draft busts happen all the time. Does it sting extra when you miss this high on the board? Of course. It also stinks to look back knowing that Deni Avdija was so heavily connected to the team, only for him to now be leading a young Portland squad to the playoffs. But, hey, it's not like the Bulls were the only ones to pass on him.

The draft was anyone's guess after the Top 3, particularly because of the COVID restrictions in place. Four other teams also decided to pass on Avdija, as the Cavaliers, Hawks, Pistons, and Knicks all went in a different direction. Avdija didn't even end up hearing his name called until the Wizards were up at No. 9.

Likewise, the Wizards would go on to move Avdija to the Trail Blazers after four seasons. It really wasn't until his first year in Portland that he started to show signs of being the All-Star-caliber player that he is today. That's all important context to keep in mind as Avdija's comments make their way around the Bulls community.

Does any of this mean those teams that passed on him, including the Bulls, actually didn't screw up? Not necessarily, but it does serve as a reminder that (1) the draft can be hard to get right, and (2) players can take a lot of time to really find their groove in the NBA.

It's also not as if Avdija hasn't given Bulls fans something to celebrate! Funny enough, the Trail Blazers star has still found a way to leave his mark in Chicago, as his recent Play-In performance helped give the franchise a second first-round pick.

Avdija clinched the No. 7 seed for Portland with 41 points on 15-22 shooting against the Suns earlier this week. It will now be the Trail Blazers' first postseason visit since the 2020-21 campaign. As for the Bulls, they are now in line to have the no. 15 or No. 16 pick in the draft to go along with their lottery selection. Not a bad domino effect for the Bulls!

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