Some athletes have an advantage in their athleticism. Some people demonstrate their natural skills. Some impose their will with their flesh and strength. Some players rely on fundamentals.
Anthony Davis has all of these qualities, and even more. He showcased his talent at the University of Kentucky and showed his potential while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in his first seven NBA seasons. He fully showed himself when he helped the Los Angeles Lakers win their 17th NBA championship in 2020.
That may surprise some, as the NBA ranked Davis among its top 75 players. But this points only to all the other great candidates of the past and in recent generations. Even struggling to stay fit during his 10-year NBA career, Davis has proven himself to deserve such an honor as he has mastered all the parts of the game.
Davis, who is 6 feet 10 inches tall, is a physical threat. But as you'll see in this video, it's the footwork that sets him apart.
Davis showed skilful footwork before winning the NBA championship in 2020, making four NBA All-Team Players (2015, '17,' '18, '20) and leading the league in blocks in three different seasons (14 years, '15 years, '17 years). Those results merely confirm scouting reports against Davis, who led Kentucky to a national championship in his only NCAA season.
No one was surprised that Davis was a long-established college star. Fans simply expressed surprise at Davis's unique single eyebrow. As this video from his rookie season shows, Davis, his family and friends gathered to watch the 2012 NBA draft draw with smiles on their faces. Once they learned that New Orleans had won the title, Davis and his core team knew where he would start his NBA career.
Footage of Davis' first NBA game says it all. On October 31, 2012, Davis performed well against the San Antonio Spurs, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. Admittedly, the Spurs won, but they often did so against the Pelicans. Davis performed brilliantly against Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, throwing high balls and bottom-line jumpers.
A year after finishing NBA Rookie of the Year behind Blazers' Damien Lillard in second place, Davis appeared in his first NBA All-Star Game. Why didn't he? Despite missing 15 games due to multiple injuries, Davis — now 21 — still ranks first in the NBA averaging blocks (2.8) and rebounds per game (10.0), while averaging 20.8 points and 51.9 percent shooting per game.
Abbreviated as "AD", Davis is a rising star that everyone knows.
Davis became a hit on and off the New Orleans pitch. He's an NBA star, and the city desperately needs an NBA star that even draws NFL idols to the front row of home games. His incredible skills and competence are showcased every night, and his connection with New Orleans comes naturally from the opening tip.
Davis' playoff team in his third season (2015), the Pelicans were defeated by the mighty Golden State Warriors in the first round of sweeps. But Davis showed signs of taking the lead, averaging 31.5 points and 11 rebounds per game in the series, shooting 54 percent from the field.
The following year, Davis played the best regular season performance of his career. On February 21, 2016, Davis scored a career-high 59 points on 24-of-34 shooting against the Detroit Pistons.
In addition, he grabbed 20 rebounds. Just look at the video below. Davis returned to old school with a powerful dunk, but also showed off his modern skills with a jumper and two three-pointers. What about love? Teammates Juju Holliday and Ryan Anderson gave their love on live television.
Two years later, Davis showed the same qualities, but this time in a high-stakes game. Davis missed the game in the second half of the season due to a ruptured left Achilles tendon of star teammate Demarcus Cousins, and Davis built his resume while alleviating Cousins' absence.
Davis and the Pelicans swept the Trail Blazers 4-0 in their first playoff win since 2011. Davis set the tone in his first game with 35 points, 14 rebounds and a playoff career-high 4 blocks. Davis seemed to score from every position on the court, overwhelming the Blazers from the start. They simply couldn't stop him.
In the decisive fourth game, the Blazers once again experienced Davis' nightmare. The New Orleans star set a playoff record with 47 points. Among the many dunks, jumpers and blocks, there's an even more impressive game: After receiving an incoming pass, Davis fouls and converts a left-handed layup before falling to the ground. After that, he stretched his muscles a little, a symbolic gesture that Davis was unstoppable.
Davis played seven seasons in New Orleans before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, where playing alongside LeBron James Davis became Los Angeles' main offensive option.
As James continued to pass the ball to the young big man forward, Davis scored a total of 29 double-doubles and 40 points in five of his first season with the Lakers. James and Davis became so friendly that the two likened their dynamics to characters in the comedy film Step brothers.
But things aren't all rosy. The Lakers experienced a major tough time that season: their training camp in China was interrupted, they experienced the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, and then, in March 2020, the entire season was shelved due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
When the game resumed four months later on an isolated campus in Florida, James and Davis saw an opportunity to connect with teammates and focus on the championship.
Davis raised his dominance to a level never seen in New Orleans. He scored a winning three-pointer in game two against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals and credited the late Kobe Bryant for inspiring him. In the NBA Finals game against the Miami Heat, Davis sought more inspiration from the late Lakers legend.
Davis averaged 33 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in games one and two, making it an early favourite for the Finals MVP. After losing game three, Davis secured a fourth game victory when he hit a dagger-like three-pointer and let Heat star Jimmy Butler make 1-of-7 shooting. After injuring his right heel and left ankle in Game Five, Davis got rid of the pain and excelled in the decisive sixth game. Subsequently, Davis showed excitement and tears as he celebrated his first NBA championship with a hug and champagne bath.