First-year guard in Wisconsin johnny davis He will enter the 2022 NBA draft and lose his remaining college eligibility upon hiring an agent, he told Mallika Andrews on ESPN’s NBA Today show on Thursday.
“After taking some time off and discussing everything with my family and coaches, I decided to make a lifelong dream come true by going public with the NBA draft with the intention of hiring an agent,” Davis said.
Davis Prospectus No. 9 on ESPN 100he earned the consensus Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American after averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 34 minutes per game.
“This season has been an incredible journey,” Davis said. “People didn’t expect us this season, but the players in the locker room and our coaching staff always knew we had the potential to be a special team.
“With so many great teams and players in our league, it was obviously a great honor to win Player of the Year, but winning the Big Ten in the regular season and playing in the NCAA tournament was so much better. I like to think that the NBA teams have seen a strong player, competing on both ends of the field on every possession, that he will do whatever it takes to help my team win. Every time I step on the court, I want to be the best player.”
Davis led Wisconsin to the Big Ten, which the Badgers shared with Illinois after losing at home to Nebraska in the final game of the regular season. The Badgers had a 10-point lead in the first half, but gave up the lead when Davis went down with a sudden ankle injury, which continued to hamper him through the postseason.
“He wasn’t 100%, but he was confident that if he played, we would still have a great chance to win the Big Ten Conference and progress in the NCAA tournament,” Davis said. “I wanted to be there with my friends to give him everything I had.”
Davis has reached the finals of some of college basketball’s most prestigious postseason awards, including the Wooden, Naismith and Lute Olson Awards, presented annually to the best Division I men’s basketball player.
Davis grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, 143 miles from Madison, and was nicknamed Mr. Basketball in the state. He was also a stellar midfielder and played alongside his twin brother Jordan, a wide receiver. jordan davis He is a reserve major on the Wisconsin basketball team.
Johnny Davis’s rise from a three-star high school recruit to the best player in college basketball has been remarkable. He was part of the US basketball team that won a gold medal at the U-19 Basketball World Cup in Latvia last summer, but few expected him to appear in the top 10 after just a few months with the Badgers.
“Coach [Greg] “Jared and my teammates have believed in me and given me the confidence and opportunity to play a much bigger role in my first year,” Davis said. America last summer took my confidence to another level and took it this season. I am confident in the work I have done over the years and have been fortunate to work every day with my strongest advocate, my twin brother, Jordan, for as long as I can remember.
“I think NBA teams can learn that the path to the NBA is not the same for every player. I didn’t rank high in high school and went to Wisconsin to change the narrative surrounding our program. My dad always told me that production will always exceed potential. My focus will continue to be playing hard and winning, and that has stayed with me.”
Draw NBA scout comparisons with Galeno SuggsWith the No. 5 pick in the 2021 Draft, Davis’ freshness, defensive versatility and solidity put him on the NBA’s radar as Wisconsin beat Houston to win the Maui Invitational in November, with Davis scoring 30 points in the final and earning MVP honors.
He continued to carry the Badgers’ heavy scoring load in the Big Ten, emerging as head ball coach for his team and one of the best pick-and-roll scorers and mid-level players in college basketball, while scoring 37 triples. pointers and 155 free throws in 31 games.
“I know the pace and style of play in the NBA is different, but I think it suits my abilities very well,” Davis said. “My ability to have the defender, the physicality and the strength to finish on the edge, and being a three-tier scorer coupled with additional space in the NBA will give me the opportunity to succeed.
“…I look forward to effectively fulfilling whatever role my next team asks of me, which will hopefully lead our team to win games. Ultimately, I want to be one of the reasons an NBA team becomes a champion organization.”
The NBA draft will be May 16-22 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 23 in Brooklyn, New York.
Jonathan Jevoni is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a proprietary exploration and analysis service used by the NBA, NCAA, and international teams.
