Anthony Davis is one of the best defensive big men in the NBA.
Elite Defensive Skills:
Davis excels at protecting the rim and grabbing rebounds. His hip flexibility and quick feet help him keep up with smaller, faster players. Throughout his career, he has consistently ranked high in advanced defensive metrics. Last season, he finished with a +1.9 in defensive plus/minus, putting him in the 93rd percentile among big men. He also scored +1.9 in defensive LEBRON and +2.6 in defensive RAPTOR, all elite scores that rank him above 90% of his peers.
Shifting Focus:
Despite his impressive stats, Davis has given up on winning a Defensive Player of the Year award. He told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he’s “over it” and only wants to help the Lakers compete at a high level now. “I’ll never get it,” Davis said to ESPN. “They’re not giving it to me… I’m just going to do what I got to do to help the team win and try to play for a championship.”
New Season Challenges:
This upcoming season, Davis will need to learn a new defensive system under JJ Redick’s guidance. Redick believes Davis is one of the top-three defenders in the league and will rely heavily on his skills throughout the season.
“Anthony Davis is one of the two or three best defensive players in the NBA,” Redick mentioned during an interview on Sirius XM radio.
“Anthony Davis is one of the two or three best defensive players in the NBA”
JJ Redick responds to @termineradio’s question about his decision to leave the #Lakers star center off his media All-Defensive ballot with @jumpshot8 and Ryan McDonough at #NBA2KSummerLeague
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA)
Fans think it’s unfair how often he’s overlooked for awards.
Future Prospects:
With a new head coach and coaching staff, Davis might play an even bigger role both offensively and defensively this season. If he can lead an improved Lakers defense (which was 17th last season), he could be back in contention for Defensive Player of the Year honors—even if he says he no longer cares about individual accolades anymore.
Let’s hope this season brings some surprises!
