Anthony Davis in 2024: Early Life, College Career, NBA Draft, Notable Records and Accolades

Anthony Davis currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started his career in the league with the New Orleans Pelicans, or New Orleans Hornets, as it was known then. The player won the NBA title with the Lakers in 2020, after he and LeBron James led them to a stunning victory. The power forward remains a premium shot-blocker and can score at will. Often derailed by injuries, when he is fit and healthy, Anthony Davis has no limits.

He made his first playoff appearance in 2015. In the next season, he signed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with the Pelicans. However, a few months into the season, Davis' season ended because of shoulder and knee injuries. Davis has several tattoos, a few visible while playing ball. Notably, he has a tattoo of Mamba as a tribute to Kobe Bryant.

Anthony Davis' Early Life and High School

Born in Chicago on March 11, 1993, Davis was raised in the Englewood neighborhood. He started his playing days in high school with Perspectives Charter School. However, not all schools have world-class facilities and he later practiced at a local church. Although he didn't become the next kid on the block, he worked hard and received late recognition and a rapid growth spurt. He transitioned from a 'little guy' to 6'10" when he entered his senior year. Obviously, Anthony Davis became the #1 player in the 2011 class.

At one time, with the Perspectives Charter school, he averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 blocks. His quality performances led him to numerous accolades, including the 2011 McDonald's All-American Game and the 10th annual Jordan Brand Classic. He was a first-team selection to the ESPN Rise boys' high school basketball All-American team. For a young boy to gain that much recognition speaks volumes of the power forward's talent.

College Career at Kentucky

After all those high school accolades, Davis verbally agreed to join Kentucky despite offers from Ohio, DePaul, and Syracuse and became the number 1 player in the national class of 2011. Coached by John Calipari, and playing one season under him, Anthony David dominated the courts from start to finish. He became the National Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and the Most Outstanding Player. To think of his rapid growth in college was a scary proposition for most teams.

The player set the NCAA freshman records for blocks and won multiple national awards. There was no doubt that Anthony Davis would be the top player in the 2012 NBA draft. The player averaged 15.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game, and led the team to its eighth NCAA championship. The block machine finally made it to the NBA after being miles apart in high school.

Anthony Davis' NBA Draft and New Orleans Career

Significantly, Anthony Davis declared himself for the 2012 NBA draft following his Kentucky Wildcats days. The New Orleans Hornets (later Pelicans) drafted Davis in 2012 and selected him as the first pick. At the 2012 NBA Draft Combine, Davis measured at 6 feet 9.25 inches (2.06 m), 221.8 pounds (100.6 kg), and had the second-longest wingspan—7 feet 5.5 inches (2.27 m)—of any player participating. It helped him to block shots easily throughout his career. Without much adaptation time, he established himself as one of the premier defenders in the league.

The player signed his first 3-year, $16 million guaranteed contract with the Hornets and made his debut against the San Antonio Spurs. He made his mark in the game, scoring 21 points but lost the matchup. However, injuries became a cause of concern for the player. Despite all the high-scoring games and blocked shots, he finished second to Damian Lillard in the Rookie of the Year award. Adding around 10 pounds in the post-season, Davis developed his post-game offense and became great in transitions. In a game against Orlando Magic, Davis scored 25 points and 15 rebounds, the youngest player in the franchise's history to do so.

He later earned an All-Star selection and made NBA teams with ease. The player led the league in blocks in 2014 (2.82 per game), becoming the youngest player to do so. Later, Victor Wembanyama broke the record in 2024. The greatest achievement in his New Orleans career became the 59-point game against the Detroit Pistons. He joined Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Webber, becoming the only players to have a 50-point game with 20 rebounds.

Earned All-NBA and All-Defensive honors, making the playoffs and establishing himself as one of the league’s top power forwards as the Lakers came calling. 

Los Angeles Lakers and Championships

The player later requested a trade and guess where he went. The Los Angeles Lakers instantly became a championship contender as Anthony Davis joined LeBron James in 2019. He settled nicely and points came in thick and fast. 40-point games became customary as the player broke records at every instant. In a game against the Pistons, Davis set an all-time record for block percentage of 25.6%. Later in 2020, he declined the Lakers' contract offer for free agency in a bid to get a max contract of over $200 million.

Anthony Davis later led the team to the NBA championship in 2020. He and the Lakers earned their 17th NBA title, tying the Celtics' record of 17 title wins although the basketball team from Boston won their 18th. In the process, he became the first player to win an NCAA title, NBA title, Olympic gold, and FIBA World Cup. Quite an achievement, isn't it? He still plays for the Lakers, but injuries plagued him. One step forward and two steps back became a norm for the player who remains injured most of the time.

Yet, he remains crucial for the Lakers in terms of leading the team for rebounds, blocks, and scoring. Anthony Davis becomes crucial to the side heading to the 2024-25 season and hopes to win his second NBA title.

National Team and International Success

In terms of donning the Star and Stripes jersey, Anthony Davis achieved success like no other player. He won an Olympic gold in 2012 London with the customary Dream Team. They remained undefeated during the Olympic Games and won the gold medal by dominating Spain. It didn't stop there. The player then earned a selection to the US team for the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game in 9 games played while shooting 54.9% from the field.

Moreover, the player then returned to the 2024 U.S. Olympic team and helped them win a gold medal. He averaged 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and even got 1.2 steals. Of course, there were 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 62.5% from the field. He remains one of the most decorated players in the U.S. national team's history.

Personal Life and Esports Career

Notably, Anthony Davis' parents played a crucial role in his upbringing. His father Anthony Davis Sr. and mother, Erainer, taught him well at a young age. He has a twin sister, Antoinette, and an elder sister, Lesha. Moreover, Lesha followed her brother and played basketball at Daley College. Now coming to the love of his life, Anthony Davis married Marlen Polanco on September 18, 2021. The couple has three children: Nala and two boys whose names they have chosen not to disclose.

In another interesting part of his career, On June 19, 2022, Davis signed with FaZe Clan, joining Faze Clan's Nuke Squad for Call of Duty. 

Notable Records and Accolades

In terms of records and accolades, Anthony Davis has several records to his name. He holds records in the NCAA, the NBA and franchise stats for blocks, rebounds, and efficiency. In the NCAA, the player had the most blocks in a season by a freshman with 186 blocks. It became the fourth all-time record in the NCAA for blocks in a single season. Meanwhile, his 29 blocks in the 2011-2012 NCAA tournament are tied for second all-time. In terms of scoring, Anthony Davis' .623 FG% remains a record for a freshman. He also got 415 rebounds in 2011-2012, tied for fourth all-time in the NCAA rebounds by a freshman.

In terms of NBA records, he scored a record-breaking 52 points in the 2017 All-Star game, which shocked the fans. But Jayson Tatum broke that record in the last All-Star game by scoring 55. The records don't end there. He became the first player to record 25+ points, 25+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals in a game. Known for his shot-blocking, Davis led the NBA in blocks, three times.

In addition, the player scored 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in four consecutive games, which only two Lakers players achieved. Recently, he won the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament with the Lakers, setting scoring and rebounding records. Here's a list of notable accolades by Anthony Davis. 

• NBA Champion: Won the 2020 NBA Finals with the Lakers


• NBA All-Star: Nine-time NBA All-Star, including 2024


• All-Star Game MVP: Won in 2017


• All-NBA First Team: Four-time selection in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020


• All-NBA Second Team: Selected in 2024


• NBA All-Defensive Team: Five-time selection in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2024


• NBA blocks leader: Three-time leader in 2014, 2015, and 2018


• All-Rookie First Team: Selected in 2013


• NBA 75 Anniversary Team: Selected in 2021


• NBA Cup: Won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023


• Olympic gold medals: Helped the United States win gold medals in 2016, 2024, and 2014 

How to contact Anthony Davis?

 Anthony Davis' Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntDavis23

Anthony Davis' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antdavis23/?hl=en