Anthony Davis is one of the best defensive big men in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers star is an elite rim-protector and rebounder, while his hip flexibility and foot speed allow him to change direction and speed in order to stay connected to smaller, shifter players.
Throughout his career, Davis has consistently topped most advanced defensive metrics. Last season, he finished his campaign with a +1.9 in defensive plus/minus, ranking him in the 93rd percentile of big men. He also scored +1.9 in defensive LEBRON and +2.6 in defensive RAPTOR, all of which are elite scores and rank him above the top 10 percent of bigs in the league.
Nevertheless, Davis has given up on challenging for a Defensive Player of the Year award. He recently told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he’s “over it” and his only focus is on helping the Lakers contend at an elite level.
“I’ll never get it,” Davis told ESPN. “They’re not giving it to me. The league doesn’t like me. I’m the best defensive player in the league. I can switch 1 through 5. I can guard the pick-and-roll the best in the league, from a big standpoint. I block shots. I rebound…I don’t know what else to do. I’m over it. I’m just going to do what I got to do to help the team win and try to play for a championship. Accolades and individual awards, I’m done with those.”
Davis will be tasked with learning a new defensive system for the upcoming season. JJ Redick will have his own vision for how the team is expected to contain ball-handlers, cutters, spot-up shooters and the like. He will undoubtedly lean on Davis’ elite skill set to anchor the Lakers’ rearguard throughout the season, too. During a July interview on Sirius XM radio, he shared his belief that Davis is a top-three defender in the league.
“Well, there’s a big difference in being a top 10 defender and making an All-Defense team,” Redick said. “There’s a distinction between the two. Anthony Davis is one of the two or three best defensive players in the NBA.”
