Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis is coming off arguably the best season of his career, playing a personal best 76 games while being named to Second Team All-NBA and First Team All-Defense.
Even though the Lakers didn’t win the championship, Davis put a lot of narratives to bed about his ability to stay healthy and lead a team. And with LeBron James on the verge of turning 40 and entering his 22nd season, the Lakers will need Davis to continue his 2023-24 level of play and leadership moving forward.
The good news is that Davis definitely seems up for it. During a recently appearance on the Join the Lobby podcast, the 31-year-old was asked about the possibility of retirement and he spoke on his love for the game and how he will continue playing as long as that is there:
“I love it, I still love it. I want to play long enough where my sons can enjoy it. My daughter is enjoying it, she’s old enough. I want my sons to be able to enjoy it, but most importantly, as long as I keep enjoying the game and keep loving the game, getting excited to go to work, excited to step on the court. I still get like excited, I’m still nervous before every game… I look forward to playoff matchups, I look forward to going on the road and being in other arenas and they’re booing you. That still excites me. Running out into Crypto, the bright lights still amaze me. As long as that’s still there, my passion for the game, and my body, shit, I’m gonna keep going until one of them tells my I can’t.”
Davis’ passion for the game and competitiveness are always things that have been evident and it’s good to see that even after 12 seasons in the league, they have not wavered.
As a nine-time All-Star, NBA Champion and future Hall of Famer, Davis really has nothing left to accomplish in the league. But with three years left on his Lakers contract, he is clearly not satisfied and wants to get back to the mountaintop. It will take some work by the Lakers front office getting back into championship contention, but having a commitment like this from their star player should help.
Anthony Davis being aligned with new Lakers coach is important
The Lakers are currently searching for a new head coach and according to reports, the organization thinks it’s important that the star big man is aligned with whoever they choose.