Anthony Davis on current relationship with LeBron James: Ain’t no change for me, it’s a business

What has been the toughest part to adjust to since the trade? Anthony Davis: Not being able to be on the court was the toughest part. Not being able to play, then play and get hurt, and then find out you will be out six weeks. That first game, obviously, the chemistry we had and the way we were playing it, the crowd was rocking, the team was hype, and then that kind of goes away with the injury. Then it becomes another injury and another injury. So, it’s kind of draining in a sense, but we are holding it down. But I’m happy, man. The only thing I’m not happy about is that I can’t find a damn house in Dallas. I’ve been looking since I got there and I can’t find the house. So, me and the wife trying to figure everything out, but actually Luka told me it took him two to three years to find a house. So, I’m not trying to wait two or three years. I got kids. -via Andscape / March 28, 2025

From 2019 to 2025 with the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis averaged 24.8 points, 11 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in 312 games. The five-time All-NBA selection also won a 2020 NBA title with the Lakers. While the blockbuster trade to the Mavericks for Luka Doncic was life-altering for Davis, a smile has been commonplace for him since the dust settled in Dallas. “I’m great. I don’t feel it, but a lot of people have been coming to me and telling me they haven’t seen me smile like this in a long time,” Davis told Andscape. “Family is happy. Everybody is happy. It’s the nature of the business. Obviously, the first maybe 48 hours, it was just a shock because I wasn’t expecting it. Nobody was expecting it, so they say. But I know from my side, my team and my family and everybody who works with me, I wasn’t expecting it. Even when I was getting some of the calls [about the trade], I thought guys were playing. But it ended up being true and that first initial [emotion] was more a shock just seeing the position [we were in]; we’re in fifth in the West [Conference], we were rolling… “I know what Luka meant to the [Mavericks] organization, to the team. So, it’s like, what do I say to these guys coming in as a new leader and trying to lead these guys to do something special? And for them it’s like, ‘s—, he just went through probably the biggest trade in [expletive] sports history. What do we say to him?’ And I wasn’t playing. So, I just tried to feel everybody out and just kind of let it happen organically. And now we got a super-tight bond, man with all the guys. So, I’m happy, man. Happy I get to play.” -via Andscape / March 28, 2025

You could have easily opted to sit out the rest of the season but returned. Can you talk about that decision? Anthony Davis: We were playing with six, seven, eight guys who were coming in after playing a game 40, 42 minutes drained, tired, having to play back-to-backs, having to come in and still [weight] lift and get their shots [up]. That was a motivator for me. I knew I was going [to come back] just because of the amount of games we had left. And not even that, just the position we were in, too. We are half a game behind Phoenix. But we got a chance. [Eight] games left. We are trying to try to make a push to get into these playoffs and just take it from there. -via Andscape / March 28, 2025

Pat McAfee: Good morning beautiful people.. I still can’t believe LeBron had a conversation with a white guy the other day. -via x.com / March 28, 2025

Unsurprisingly, Tim McMahon, Windhorst’s ESPN colleague and podcast co-host, came to Windhorst’s defense. “Not one single time have I ever heard you say that you were friends, much less best friends with LeBron James,” McMahon told Windhorst on ‘The Hoop Collective. ‘ “I don’t know if LeBron knows this podcaster named JJ Redick, I think he’s coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. I’d bet you LeBron sees him all the time actually, now that I think about it. Well, there’s this time that you went on JJ Redick’s podcast last year, and I was tuning in, and I was like, ‘Wow this is really interesting.’ I heard you on that podcast say, ‘I don’t think LeBron James likes me.’ You weren’t complaining, you were just simply stating fact because sometimes when you cover people and you don’t just kiss their butt regardless of circumstances and you cover them honestly, fair and accurately — but it might not be flattering — sometimes people get mad at you.” -via Clutch Points / March 28, 2025

Stephen A. Smith: My apologies and clarification. I misspoke in Hour#1 of @FirstTake today when I intimated that LeBron did not attend Kobe Bryant’s memorial. I corrected myself in Hour#2 when I acknowledged he was indeed in attendance. My mistake. Should not have even broached that subject. It was not my main point. I retract NOTHING else that I said. Have a nice day! -via x.com / March 28, 2025