- In full:
- Anthony Marshon Davis, Jr.
- Born:
- March 11, 1993, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. (age 33)
- Awards And Honors:
- National Basketball Association Championship (2020)
Anthony Davis
News •
-
Which teams has Anthony Davis played for in the NBA?
Anthony Davis has played for three teams in the NBA: the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Dallas Mavericks. Davis was drafted first overall by the New Orleans Hornets (who then became the Pelicans) in 2012, where he played until being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. While with the Lakers, Davis won an NBA championship in 2020. In a blockbuster deal during the 2024â2025 season, Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What awards and honors has Anthony Davis received in his career?
Anthony Davis is a dominant force in the NBA, celebrated for his exceptional defense and scoring ability. After his time at the University of Kentucky, Davis was drafted first overall by the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans).
Awards and Achievements
* NBA Champion: Davis won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
* NBA All-Rookie First Team: He was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team in his first season (2012â13).
* Olympic Gold Medal: Davis won a gold medal at the Olympics.
* NCAA Champion: He won an NCAA championship with the University of Kentucky in 2012.
* AP Player of the Year: Davis was named Player of the Year by the Associated Press.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Anthony Davis contribute to his team's 2020 NBA championship?
Anthony Davis played a pivotal role in the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 NBA championship win. In his first year with the team, after being traded to the Lakers, Davis averaged 25 points and 10.7 rebounds during the NBA finals. In the title-clinching game against the Miami Heat, he scored 19 points and had 15 rebounds. Beyond statistics, Davis pushed LeBron James to improve his defensive efforts, enhancing the team's overall performance. Davis's contributions on both offense and defense were instrumental in the Lakers' success.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some strengths and qualities that make Anthony Davis a standout basketball player?
Anthony Davis is a dominant force in the NBA, celebrated for his exceptional defense and prolific scoring. His strengths include shot-blocking and rebounding, making him a defensive anchor. Offensively, he's known for his versatility, able to score in the post, mid-range, and beyond the arc. Davis's agility and athleticism for his size enable him to guard multiple positions effectively. His impact extends to leadership, as he challenges teammates to elevate their game, demonstrated by his influence on LeBron James to improve his defensive efforts.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Anthony Davis (born March 11, 1993, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.) is one of the most dominant big men in the National Basketball Association (NBA), noted for both his stifling defense and prolific scoring. After winning an NCAA championship with the University of Kentucky in 2012, he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) with the number one overall pick. He later was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he helped the team win an NBA title in 2020. Five years later Davis was part of a blockbuster trade that send him to the Dallas Mavericks and Luka DonÄiÄ to the Lakers. During the 2025â26 season, Davis was traded to the Washington Wizards.
Early life
Davis was born to Erainer Davis and Anthony Davis, Sr., and he has a twin sister as well as an elder sister, who was on the basketball team at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago. The family lived in the cityâs Englewood neighborhood. Davis Jr. began playing basketball at a young age, and he later was on the team at Perspectives Math & Science Academy, a charter high school. When he began his freshman year, Davis was less than 6 feet (1.82 meters) tall, but, by the time he was a senior, he stood 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters). With this growth spurt, he transitioned from guard to forward/center and became both an offensive and defensive force.
Because his high school was not a basketball powerhouseâit did not even have a gymnasiumâDavis was a relative unknown for most of his teen years. However, during his junior year, in 2010, he helped raise his national profile by joining a club team called Meanstreets, which was founded and coached by former National Football League wide receiver Tai Streets. Davis then had an outstanding senior year (2010â11), averaging 32 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 blocked shots per game. Once overlooked, he had become one of the top players in the national class of 2011.
Davis went on to play at the University of Kentucky, and in his one season there, 2011â12, he had 20 double-doubles (at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in a game), averaged 10.4 rebounds per game, and led the nation with 4.7 blocks per game. In the NCAA tournament he helped Kentucky reach the championship game, in which the team faced Kansas. Although he had a poor shooting performanceâmaking just one of 10 shotsâDavis made up for it with 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Kentucky won the title, and Davis was named Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He subsequently announced that he was entering the 2012 NBA draft.
NBA
New Orleans Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets selected Davis with the number one overall pick. In his rookie season (2012â13), he averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team. His next season, when the Hornets changed their name to the Pelicans, Davis improved across the boardâaveraging 20.8 points, 10 rebounds, and a league-best 2.8 blocks per game. In 2014â15 Davis played in his first postseason, but the Pelicans lost in the first round. In February 2016 he scored a career-high 59 points in one game, but knee surgery in March sidelined him for the rest of the season. He returned in 2016â17 and had a breakout offensive season, averaging 28 points per game, along with 11.8 rebounds. The following season New Orleans returned to the playoffs and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals but lost to the Golden State Warriors.
During the 2018â19 season, Davis told the Pelicans he wanted to be traded, and he listed the Lakers as one of his preferred teams. In a blockbuster deal after the season, New Orleans traded Davis, a six-time All-Star, to the Lakers in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three future first-round picks. The deal paired Davis with fellow superstar LeBron James on a Los Angeles team that was in the midst of a playoff drought, having missed the postseason for six straight seasons.
Los Angeles Lakers
The trade had an instant payoff, with the Lakers not only returning to the playoffs but winning the NBA championship in Davisâs first year (2019â20) with the team. In the NBA finals he averaged 25 points and 10.7 rebounds in six games, and he scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the teamâs title-clinching victory over the Miami Heat. Davis made his mark not just in points and rebounds but by prodding James, considered by some the greatest player of all time, to make more of an effort on defense. As James told Sports Illustrated in 2020, âIn order for us to become the team we want to become, it starts and ends with [me and Davis]. From that very first practice he held me accountable.â
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
Various injuries limited Davisâs playing time in the next two seasons. He participated in the 2020â21 postseason, but the Lakers lost in the first round. In 2022â23 he averaged 25.9 points per game, and the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference finals. However, they were swept by the Denver Nuggets. In the offseason Los Angeles signed Davis to a three-year, $186 million maximum contract extension. Averaging $62 million per year, it was the richest annual contract extension in NBA history to that point. Davis posted solid numbers in the 2023â24 season, but the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards
During the 2024â25 season, Davis was part of a blockbuster trade in which he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks and Luka DonÄiÄ went to the Lakers. Davis experienced a series of injuries that limited his play. In January 2026 he suffered ligament damage in his left hand and was expected to miss a number of games. About a month later he was traded to the Washington Wizards. Shortly thereafter it was announced that Davis would not play for the rest of the season.