In return to L.A., Anthony Davis recounts ‘all the emotions’ since his shocking trade

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Anthony Davis acknowledges the crowd after a video tribute was played during the first quarter of Tuesday’s game at Crypto.com Arena. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

About halfway through the first quarter of Tuesday night’s game, Anthony Davis looked up at the video board inside Crypto.com Arena and watched a tribute the Lakers produced for him. He was being recognized by his former team for his 5 ½ years in L.A.

But the reality is the reality — Davis was receiving this homage because he was no longer a Laker, because he had been traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a shocking, late-night blockbuster deal along with Max Christie and a first-round draft pick for generational talent Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.

So, as Davis watched the video, he smiled and waved to the crowd that was giving him a standing ovation, fully enjoying the moment despite the fact he was unable to play in his return because of an adductor strain.

“If I was playing, it would have been a little bit more emotional for me,” Davis told The Times. “Obviously, it was emotional for the time I had here. But the video was fire! The love from the crowd was fire! The ovation was fire!

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“I don’t know. I haven’t processed it. I might have to watch it again. I’m just in the midst of a game. I’m trying to win a basketball game. So, I couldn’t really get a chance to like, really, dissect the video and feel what I wanted to feel. But that’s the first time I had that, and I think that it was really dope for the Lakers to do, obviously, and I’m honored and appreciative, for them even considering to do that for me.”

It has been 3½ weeks since the trade that rocked the NBA. Davis says he processed it almost immediately and understood it was “the nature of the business.”

Yes, he won a championship for the Lakers alongside LeBron James in 2020. Yes, he was a five-time All-NBA and all-defensive team player. Yes, he was a 10-time All-Star and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

Still, Davis was moved for another…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/return-l-anthony-davis-recounts-223931082.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2025-02-26 22:39:00

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