Getty Lakers big man Anthony Davis
Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis gave a major update on his health after the purple and gold defeated the Golden State Warriors on October 9th.
Davis, who dealt with an undisclosed wrist injury last season, told reporters he has fully recovered from his ailment. The eight-time All-Star also revealed that his lower back tightness “is fine.”
Anthony Davis said he is fully recovered from his wrist injury and the back tightness didn’t bother him until the end of the game.
Davis dominated the Warriors in his 21 minutes of action, finishing with 28 points and three rebounds while shooting 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. The Lakers won by a final score of 124-121 to earn their first preseason win.
Davis, who has played in only 76 regular-season games since helping the Lakers win the 2020 title over the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble, is feeling and looking confident. Although four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP LeBron James is still considered the “best player” on the Lakers, all signs point toward Davis being the focal point of the offense this season since he’s younger than LeBron, who turns 38 in December and has played in 10 Finals.
Davis: LeBron Has Been in My Ear About Taking Over
Davis told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that James has been in his ear about taking over the reins of the team. The Chicago native is eager for the upcoming season to start after having a productive offseason.
“I’m so excited that I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about this year,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “I’m looking forward to a healthy year and doing what I know we can do. I went into this summer focusing on strengthening my body. I have to be on the court and at my best to put us in position to be our best. I’m ready to do that.”
Davis averaged 23.2 points and 9.9 rebounds in 2021-22, which are great numbers. However, he only appeared in 40 games. The Brow missed 17 games from late December until late January after suffering an MCL sprain in his left knee against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then in mid-February, Davis sustained a right mid-foot sprain versus the Utah Jazz, causing him to miss 18 additional games.
Those close to Davis told Haynes that the power forward had his best summer of training. AD, who will make $37.9 million this season, is ready to lead.
“All I can do is lead by my actions,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “I’m excited for this challenge and what’s ahead. I think we have a great group of guys to get the job done. It’s now about putting in the work.”
Wrist Injury Prevented Davis from Shooting Last Season
Davis struggled with his jumper in 2021-22. The one-time champion shot 34.8% on jump shots, 31.7% on shots from 10-to-15 feet and 18.6% from beyond the arc. The wrist injury Davis played with prevented him from following-through on his shot.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but since January, I was battling a wrist injury the whole year,” Davis said on September 28th. “So it was affecting my shot and everything. That’s not an excuse, but it was tough for me to shoot how I wanted to shoot. I couldn’t really follow through.”
Davis trained with Lethal Shooter, one of the top shooting coaches in the world, this summer. His jumper has looked noticeably better in the preseason. The Lakers, who missed the playoffs in 2021-22, need Davis to stay healthy this season if they want to compete for a championship. They also need the future Hall of Famer to hit perimeter shots again.