Wizards star Anthony Davis has already accomplished much in his iconic career. Even still, he has some big ambitions for the years to come.
Speaking in a recent interview with Craig Melvin of HoopsHype, the 33-year-old big man revealed what more he wants to add to his stacked resume, and it may not be what you think for someone who many consider on the decline.
“It’s a lot,” said Davis on what’s left for him to achieve. “I haven’t got MVP. I haven’t got Defensive Player of the Year. I want the parade for a championship, so I want to be able to do that again. So, I mean, it’s still things I want to try to get. I want to get 20,000 points. I want to play for 20 years. I have a list of things that I still want to do.”
As a 10x All-Star, five-time All-NBA player, five-time All-Defensive star, and 2020 NBA champion, Davis is already one of the most accomplished big men of the modern game. On the court, his impact is wide-reaching as he thrives on both ends of the floor. For his career, the 6’10” star boasts averages of 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting and 27.0% shooting from three.
At his age, most experts predict that Davis is on his last big NBA contract (a three-year, $186 million extension signed with the Lakers in 2023), but he clearly thinks otherwise. Even now, after 13 seasons, Davis plans to win more championships, hit 20,000 points, and do things that he’s never done in his NBA tenure, like capturing the NBA’s Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards. They are noble goals for the Wizards’ big man and demonstrated a determined spirit, but are they truly attainable?
Can Anthony Davis Meet His Goals?
We know Davis will always be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, but winning the MVP is another story entirely. While Davis came close to winning both MVP and DPOY in 2018, finishing in the top three in both, age has taken its toll on the NBA big man, and most would agree he’s trending downward. Still, his impact on the floor continues to be evident, and if he can just have one more healthy season, the conditions could be ripe for a dominant, MVP-worthy campaign. Then again, we haven’t had someone older than 32 win the award since Karl Malone in 1999.
Individual accolades aside, the most important thing Davis could do at this point is win another championship. He made history with LeBron James in the 2020 campaign, but he never enjoyed a proper celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Wizards are certainly a franchise on the rise in the aftermath of the trades for Davis and star point guard Trae Young, they need more firepower before they can truly compete with the Eastern juggernauts. Even Davis himself admitted that the Wizards are not a good team right now, and it’s no small problem to fix, given their unfortunate status as a small-market franchise.
The only thing that’s arguably harder than a title run for Davis might just be playing seven more years in the NBA. While he says he wants to play for a total of 20, that’s a tough ask for a guy who has battled so many injuries (including this past season, which limited him to just 20 out of 82 games). At the rate he’s going, Davis may not be around in another five years, but he’s determined not to let the doubters smother his confidence.
In fact, he’s nearly close to reaching another career milestone, and it will be yet another thing to check off his list: 20,000 points. Currently, he’s at 19,385, and he could cross the threshold as soon as next season, depending on how much he scores and how many games he plays. One healthy, elite season from Davis should be more than enough to put him over the edge. Either way, it’s a very attainable goal for the big man, showing a surprising degree of longevity in the game.
Unfortunately, besides scoring 20,000 points, Anthony Davis will likely fall short of completing his career aspirations. At his age, with his unreliable health, we can’t expect him to be in the running for MVP, and we surely can’t expect him to add another seven years of mileage on his fragile body. Of all his goals, a second championship may be the hardest to attain, as the Wizards have a long history of dysfunction that plagues them to this day.
As much as you have to respect Davis for his bold ambitions, it’s not exactly realistic thinking for the future Hall of Famer. But regardless of what he gets to check off his list, he’s already accomplished more in his career than most players can imagine. Even if he does nothing else in the NBA, he’s done more than enough that he can be proud of the legacy he leaves behind.
