It was only a few years ago that AD revealed a “secret” on national TV during his appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. Davis “confessed” to rounding down his real height because he didn’t want to play center. “When you 6’11 you gotta play center…I don’t like playing center so I like to stick to power forward,” said the then-Pelicans star. reason? At 6’11, 254 lbs, Anthony Davis has no right to be as skilled as he is. But it’s because of this skill that AD can play in different positions on the basketball court. But the position the Mavericks star himself prefers is power forward. Or is it? He has finally spilled the beans.
But it seems time has softened the former NBA champ’s stance on which position he’s playing in. He spoke about this after the Magic game, reflecting on the different positions that he’s played in over the years. “Um, I feel comfortable in either position…I played four for six and a half years. Well, actually, I don’t know..say four and a half years in LA…I played five after that. And then tonight, when Kai went down, I was playing the five. So I’m comfortable in any position,” revealed AD.
So is the former Lakers star hinting at any position? Might not, as he also told the media, what really matters to him and why he’ll play in any position. “But, I mean, there are advantages in each position, you know, when I play offensively and defensively. So, you know, wherever J Kidd needs me to play,” added AD. He also had some words of wisdom for his teammates. “Every game is different but we know who’s on the floor. We’re going to fight, we’re going to defend, we’re going to play hard and give ourselves a chance to win,” said AD. And Jason Kidd will love to have such a leader in the locker room considering the tough spot the Mavs are in right now.
Mar 24, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) dribbles up court during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Moreover, with the dearth of options the Dallas Mavericks are facing at the 5, this change in AD’s attitude will be a welcome surprise for Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison, especially. After all, Harrison did call AD “ an All-Defensive center” when the Mavs GM explained why he pursued the trade. However, unlike them, there’s one person in the Lakers front office who will feel wronged by AD’s sudden change of heart. And that’s Lakers owner, Jeanie Buss.
Jeanie Buss revealed how Anthony Davis’ repeated complaints forced Lakers trade
The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade came as a shock to everyone, not just to players but to everyone who finds interest in the NBA. But while Luka Doncic had every right to be shocked, things aren’t so simple when it comes to AD. It seems Jeanie Buss had every intention of keeping Anthony Davis at the Lakers. But she seemingly grew frustrated with Davis’ repeated complaints about the players surrounding him and the position he was forced to play.
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss before the game against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Bulls won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Buss got candid during a tell-all appearance on the morning edition of NPR. In it, she revealed how AD’s frustrations forced her to make this difficult call. “Anthony Davis was complaining about where he was being played and he wasn’t happy. So I think this was a positive for both teams. They got what they were looking for; we got what we were looking for,” said Buss.
If Anthony Davis had kept quiet, perhaps he would still be wearing the Purple and Gold. Who knows? But so far, Jeanie Buss’ decision to get AD out of LA for Luka has proven fruitful for the Lakers.
As for AD, well, maybe even he doesn’t know the reason behind his trade. At the end of the day, without having heard his side, all we can do is speculate. But we’re all excited to see how Jason Kidd uses Anthony Davis now that he’s healthy. And there’s no debating that!
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