Anthony Davis had no control over the trade that sent him to Dallas. He didn’t get to choose the destination, and didn’t negotiate the move—it was a front-office decision. Once he arrived in Dallas, much of the early talk revolved around how he would fit into the team and how Jason Kidd would use the former Lakers superstar to complement the team that reached the NBA Finals last season. This was another decision in which he would have little input. But behind the scenes, there was one decision that only Davis could make. One that flew under the radar yet had an oddly familiar backstory.

Despite the initial shock of the trade, Davis embraced the challenge. In his introductory press conference, he talked about reassuring the fans why Nico Harrison brought him to Dallas and said “I’m gonna give the city life back,” to endear himself to the fanbase. But while he adjusted to his new reality and prepared for the season ahead, there was one detail left for him to decide—pick his jersey number.

Coming into the league, AD donned the #23 jersey with the New Orleans Pelicans. When he moved to LA to play alongside LeBron James, he was offered the number 23 by the Akron Hammer himself. However, certain circumstances meant he had to pick #3 at the Lakers. Now, after the Mavericks trade, he was seen playing in #3 again in his debut game. Notably, the 31-year-old revealed that he had the chance to go back to his previous number (23) with the Texas side but ended up with the single-digit jersey. And how did Davis make up his mind? Well, you won’t see it coming.

Speaking to MavsTV in a sitdown interview, Anthony Davis revealed the story behind choosing #3 for the Mavs. He mentioned that he was presented with only two choices and decided which one to take after trying to simulate it on the popular NBA 2K title. “They ask me here, ‘Got 3 and 23 available’, only numbers they send me. And then how I did it, I went on the video game, changed my number to 23 and how did it look on the Mavs’ jersey and went to 3 and I was like ‘Ahh I got to keep 3.’ So, I just kept #3.” In the same breath, he also made an emotional confession, saying, “It’s gonna be my number till I retire.” 

It looks like Take-Two games which have a net worth of about $37.8 billion had a major role in influencing AD’s jersey decision with the Mavs. For those of you who are surprised by how he made the decision, this was also the case when he picked his jersey number in Los Angeles.

In the same interview, he said, “When I got to LA, Bron wanted to give me 23 but I was like, ‘I don’t wanna take your number.'” LeBron James wanted to gift Davis his No. 23 after he arrived in LA. James knew that Davis had worn the number at the University of Kentucky and for seven seasons in New Orleans, and hence wanted him to have it in LA too. But Nike interfered.

Reports in 2019 pointed out that the apparel brand didn’t want James to give the number to Davis as it would be stuck with tens of millions of dollars in James 23 jerseys. Moreover, when the Lakers reached out to the company over the swap the March 15 deadline for a number change had passed, with Davis signing with Lakers in July. So, Davis decided to pick #3 and yes you guessed it, after simulating it on NBA 2K.

2K had put Davis on its 2020 cover and it helped him make the decision. “Honestly, I just chose No. 3 — I went on ‘2K,’ the video game .. so I’m literally in my living room, on the video game, going to myself, ‘Edit Player,’ and I’m going through all the numbers,” he told Jimmy Kimmel back then. Davis again had a chance to get #23 when Bron opted to wear #6, his Miami number for a couple of seasons. But, 10x All-Star turned it down.

“The second year, he went to 6 and asked if I wanted 23. And I was like, ‘Nah, I think I wanna stay with 3’. I wanted to go back to where it all started.” Davis revealed on MavsTV. Now, why did Davis was hellbent on sticking with #3 when he had the chance to wear #23, the most celebrated number in the NBA world? 

It turns out Anthony Davis has an emotional attachment to #3. That’s why perhaps he had to rely on a video game to make the major decision at the Mavs.

Image Credit: Imagn#3 was deeply etched in AD’s heart that he cannot give that up easily even for a number like 23. Speaking of it, he said, “I always wore #3 since I started playing basketball. This is the story about it. I wore #3 and that was the number in eighth grade, I wore 3.”  This was the first number ever played basketball in and as such holds sentimental value for him. Unfortunately, he had to change it to 23 in high school as one of his seniors had already picked it. But now that he had the choice, he went with it yet again.

Since arriving in Dallas, Davis has played only one game. He looked impressive in his debut on February 8 for the franchise against the Houston Rockets, racking up 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists in the 116–105 win. However, he strained his left abductor in the game and has been on the sidelines since.

Recently, Jason Kidd provided an update on his progress as he seeks a return.

Jason Kidd shares big Anthony Davis update

Having already lost Kyrie Irving to a season-ending torn ACL, Jason Kidd is hopeful of Anthony Davis’ return to fitness. On Friday, he shared an update ahead of the Mavs game against the Grizzlies.

“AD is trending in the right direction,” Kidd said. “As we go forward, there will be more news to come, but hopefully it says that he’ll be able to play, but we just don’t know when.”  A recent re-evaluation of Davis’ left adductor strain showed that he “is improving daily and has therefore been cleared for more dynamic on-court movements,” according to the franchise.

Getting Davis back will be crucial for the Mavs, as they are also without Jaden Hardy due to an ankle injury while Olivier-Maxence Prosper was ruled out for a year due to a wrist injury.

The Mavs are starved for healthy bodies and as such Davis’ return couldn’t come fast enough.