Anthony Davis‘ move to Dallas is already making headlines, but not for the reasons the Mavericks hoped. Fans are sounding the alarm after recent photos showed the All-Star big man looking noticeably heavier, with reports suggesting he’s up 15 pounds heading into the season.
Since last year’s training camp with the Lakers, Anthony Davis has gained 15 pounds 😯 pic.twitter.com/gyn5EdqVhg
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) October 1, 2025
Davis, 32, weighed in at 268 pounds this week, a 15-pound increase from last year’s training camp with the Lakers. As he announced during NBA media day, he’ll also be wearing protective eyewear going forward as mandated by team doctors. It’s part of an active and ongoing effort to keep Davis healthy, but his weight gain threatens to undo their work.
With an extensive injury history, Anthony Davis should be going extra lengths to ensure his body is in premium shape or it could result in missed time during the season. Gaining weight might make Davis heavier and stronger, but it puts an extra burden on his legs, and fans are convinced it will spell bad news.
“Maybe it isn’t Luka’s fault he ballooned in Dallas, there’s good eating in Texas compared to LA,” wrote one fan on X.
Some fans preached patience with Davis, reminding critics that the star big man is coming off eye surgery this summer.
“Stop this,” one fan wrote. “He had eye surgery this summer, he had to rest several weeks face down, and couldn’t work out. He just started working out in September. Give him time, he’ll get in shape.”
Of course, many fans noted the irony for Davis to have conditioning concerns in the wake of the Luka Doncic trade, who was exiled by Dallas for his own weight issues.
“This is gonna be Dallas’s curse for trading Luka,” one fan responded. “Doomed to an eternity of aesthetically questionable dietary habits lmao.”
With so much pressure for the Mavericks, it would be a drastic turn if Davis was somehow compromised early in the season, and it would be the last straw for many Mavericks fans.
“Can you imagine if AD gets one of his usual injuries early in the season while being this big? Dallas fans might burn American Airlines to the ground,” wrote one X user.
The Mavericks gave up a generational superstar to acquire Davis, and it’s why they need him at his best this season. For a team trying to win now, every spot counts and that’s especially true at power forward, where Davis’ defense and dominance under the rim has the potential to lead the Mavericks to a higher level of contention.
With averages of 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season, we’ve already seen what Davis can do, and he’s already proven he can deliver when it matters most. If he can just stay healthy and maintain consistency from start to finish, the Mavericks may challenge for a top spot in the West standings.
Regarding his current form, only time will tell if it’s a setback or part of the plan but fans are concerned either way. More weight usually means more risk, and Davis’ body is already fragile enough as it is. Regardless, the results will speak for themselves and Davis has shown the commitment and dedication required to meet expectations and finally lead a team of his own to glory.
Ultimately, the Mavericks knew the risk when they bet their future on Anthony Davis, and it all comes down to whether he can stay healthy enough to deliver. The weight gain might be part of the process, or it might be a red flag, but either way, Dallas is all in now. For better or worse, AD is the centerpiece of this roster, and the team’s championship hopes ride on him being the best version of himself. If he proves the doubters wrong, the Mavericks could silence the criticism and rise into true contention. If not, the trade that sent Luka packing could go down as one of the most haunting mistakes in franchise history.
