Anthony Davis may need to achieve more with the LA Lakers to fully establish a legacy that aligns with his potential, but he has finally found a franchise where he can flourish and chase success. This was not the case during his seven-season tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans , where he missed the postseason in five of those campaigns. Over time, witnessing the declining spirit of the organization, ‘The Brow’ lost his love for the game to the extent that he dreaded going to work each day.
Davis on what he felt while playing for the Pelicans
After being named Player of the Year during his sole season with the Kentucky Wildcats, AD was selected No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He quickly lived up to those high expectations, earning his first All-Star selection in just his sophomore year, averaging 20.8 points and leading the league in blocks. Moreover, by his third season, the Chicago native was even a member of the All-NBA First Team. By his sixth season, he averaged 28.1 points and led the league in blocks for the third time, earning All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team honors while finishing as the runner-up for the MVP and DPOY awards.
Despite these individual accomplishments, Davis realized that even after playing more than 60 games in each regular-season campaign, the Pelicans have reached the playoffs merely twice, never advancing beyond the second round. His dissatisfaction grew, as evidenced by his signing a five-year, $127 million contract that couldn’t bring him joy simply because he knew the team would continue to struggle.
“I’m not happy. I want to be happy,” Davis told Preston Ellis of The Bird Writes, as quoted by Sportscasting. “And you kind of go through these times where it’s like, do I really want to play basketball? Am I really good enough? You start doubting yourself because you’re not happy. Or it might be stuff in your personal life where you’re not happy.”
Davis hated going to work every day
After the Pelicans missed the playoffs in the 2018-19 season, despite Davis earning another All-Star selection, he decided it was time to seek a fresh start. While some fans criticized him as being selfish, the 6’10” forward was focused on finding a franchise where he could regain his passion for the game…