Anthony Davis, a name that has been recognized a lot throughout the NBA and is known for his elite defensive capability as well as his versatility on offense making him an immediate threat to most NBA teams. From his early years playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, to playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, to now playing currently for the Dallas Mavericks, Davis has came from a long way and made his mark. However, with this unexpected move to the Dallas Mavericks, Anthony Davis opens up yet another chapter that can define his career even further.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Rise of a Superstar
Anthony Davis in the year 2012 entered the NBA Draft and was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the number 1 overall pick. Within his second season, his potential rose exponentially as he was selected to play in his first All-Star game. Standing at 6’10” with a 7’6″ wingspan, Davis’ defensive ability was evident right from the start. With the ability to guard multiple positions alongside his shot blocking skills, Davis made himself one of the most feared defenders within the league.
Throughout the years for Anthony Davis playing for the Pelicans, he quickly became the face of the franchise. He was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor which led to the Pelicans making the playoffs in the year 2015. They lost however the same year to the Golden State Warriors. Despite his brilliant individual performances, the Pelicans were having a hard time trying to build a competitive team around him and over time this got Davis frustrated as he wanted to win a championship one day.
However, Anthony Davis’ time in New Orleans was not without his highlights. He led the Pelicans in 2018 to a surprising sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2017-2018 season where he averaged 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks, it was one of the best individual performances in recent history. The question still arose however whether or not Anthony Davis can lead his Pelicans team to win a championship. Since the Pelicans front office failed to build a competitive team, Davis requested a trade to leave the New Orleans Pelicans.
The LA Lakers: A New Chapter and a Championship
In the summer of 2019, Anthony Davis was traded to play for the Los Angeles Lakers teaming up with one of the all-time greats in LeBron James. Davis was excited to play for a team that defines winning championships. The team made a huge impact when Davis was in the starting lineup having a defensive and offensive presence out on the court.
Anthony Davis in an instant proved that he will be LeBron’s secondary option for when the team needed most in order to win a championship. In the 2020 NBA Bubble, back to when COVID-19 was spreading, the Lakers dominated the post season. Davis’ presence out on the court defensively and offensively really helped the Lakers secure the 2020 NBA Championship. His ability to score at will with his defensive presence including the game winner against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals was critical for the Lakers success. The 2020 NBA Title was Davis’s first ever title that solidified his legacy as one of the league’s best players. He eventually earned his first NBA All-Defensive First Team selection as well was named to the All-NBA First Team. The future was bright for Anthony Davis and his time with the Lakers
However, throughout the following season, it did not go as planned as injuries started to rise up from both Davis and LeBron with Davis suffering a groin injury forcing him to miss crucial games when it came to the playoffs. The Lakers struggles in the playoffs in the 2021-2022 season led to unwinding results and started to raise up questions into whether this Lakers team can still win another championship.
The Dallas Mavericks: A New Unexpected Challenge and a New Opportunity
In the 2024-2025 NBA Season, Anthony Davis unexpectedly got traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. The Mavs, who had just acquired Kyrie Irving last year, were looking to add another superstar to pair with a franchise player in Luka Doncic. Davis and his ability to stretch the floor with his offensive ability as well as his defensive ability can finally place him at the power forward position and can let him play comfortably since he has always been a power forward. In his debut with the Mavericks, he scored 26 points along with 16 rebounds and 7 assist, but did not play the entire 4th quarter due to an abdominal strain.
As Anthony Davis gets used to his new transition from playing with the Lakers to now playing for the Mavs, he has an opportunity to prove that the championship-run he had with the Lakers was not a fluke. He now has the moment to lead his team to a deep playoff run to win championships and he can establish his place in NBA history as one of the most dominate players of this generation of basketball.