Career Timeline of Anthony Davis: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Anthony Davis, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Anthony Davis, nicknamed "AD", is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. Primarily playing power forward and center, he's a ten-time NBA All-Star and has earned multiple All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Team selections. Davis was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He is considered among the greatest power forwards in basketball history.
1966: Following Cazzie Russell
In 2012, Anthony Davis became the fifth Chicago-area first overall selection following Cazzie Russell in 1966.
1972: Following LaRue Martin
In 2012, Anthony Davis became the fifth Chicago-area first overall selection following LaRue Martin in 1972.
1981: Following Mark Aguirre
In 2012, Anthony Davis became the fifth Chicago-area first overall selection following Mark Aguirre in 1981.
1993: Youngest since Shaquille O'Neal
On March 16, 2014, Davis was the fourth-youngest player (21 years and 5 days) to achieve 40/20 in a game and the youngest since Shaquille O'Neal in 1993.
2008: Following Derrick Rose
In 2012, Anthony Davis became the fifth Chicago-area first overall selection following Derrick Rose in 2008.
February 26, 2010: 40-Point Performance
On March 16, 2014, the game was also the first 40-point performance by a Pelican/Hornet since David West on February 26, 2010.
August 2010: Played in the Nike Global Challenge
In August 2010, Anthony Davis played in the Nike Global Challenge in Hillsboro, Oregon, showcasing his talent on an international stage.
August 24, 2010: Rated Number One Player by Scout.com
On August 24, 2010, Anthony Davis became the number one rated player in the national class of 2011 at Scout.com.
November 10, 2010: Signed National Letter of Intent
On November 10, 2010, Anthony Davis signed his National Letter of Intent, marking a significant step in his commitment to play college basketball.
March 30, 2011: McDonald's All-American Game Performance
On March 30, 2011, in the McDonald's All-American Game, Anthony Davis delivered a strong performance with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks.
November 11, 2011: Kentucky Debut
On November 11, 2011, Anthony Davis debuted with a double-double for Kentucky, scoring 23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 assists against Marist, earning him his first SEC Freshman of the Week honor.
2011: Earned High School Basketball Honors
In 2011, Anthony Davis received numerous honors for his basketball abilities in high school, solidifying his status as a top prospect.
2011: Named USBWA National Freshman of the Year
In 2011, Anthony Davis was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Year, solidifying his impact as a freshman player.
2011: Ranked Top Player in his Class
In 2011, Anthony Davis was recognized as the number one rated player in the national class by Scout.com.
2011: Preseason All-American Selection
In 2011, ESPN selected Anthony Davis as a preseason All-American, recognizing his potential impact on college basketball.
2011: Rated Number One Player in Class of 2011
In 2011, after three seasons of Chicago Public League play, Anthony Davis was rated as the number one player in the class of 2011 by Scout.com and was listed in the ESPNU 100.
2011: Pelicans to Playoffs
In the final game of the regular season, the Pelicans won against the San Antonio Spurs on February 7, 2015, securing a playoff berth for the first time since 2011.
June 15, 2012: Signed with Wasserman Media Group
On June 15, 2012, Anthony Davis signed with Arn Tellem and Thad Foucher of the Wasserman Media Group as his agents.
July 24, 2012: Signed with the New Orleans Hornets
On July 24, 2012, Anthony Davis signed a three-year $16 million guaranteed contract with the New Orleans Hornets.
November 1, 2012: NBA Debut
On November 1, 2012, Anthony Davis made his NBA debut against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring a team-high 21 points in a losing effort.
2012: Hornets renamed to Pelicans
After the 2012–13 season, the Hornets renamed themselves the Pelicans.
2012: Forecasted as Top NBA Draft Pick
Before his college career began, Anthony Davis was being mentioned as the first overall selection in the 2012 NBA draft.
2012: Won NCAA Championship with Kentucky
In 2012, Anthony Davis led Kentucky to a national championship and was named the most outstanding player of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
2012: Drafted into the NBA
In 2012, Anthony Davis was drafted as the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets, and was selected that summer to play in the Olympics.
2012: Named College Basketball Player of the Year
In 2012, Anthony Davis was named the Sporting News Men's College Basketball Player of the Year and won numerous other national player of the year awards.
2012: Named First Team All-American
In 2012, Anthony Davis was named to the 2012 Sporting News All-American first team and received several other All-American honors.
2012: Won Gold Medal at the Olympics
In 2012, Anthony Davis won a gold medal with the United States national team at the Olympics.
2012: Won NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
In 2012, Anthony Davis won the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player award and was selected to the All-Tournament team.
February 15, 2013: Rising Stars Challenge
On February 15, 2013, Anthony Davis participated in the Rising Stars Challenge during the 2013 NBA All-Star Game weekend.
October 16, 2013: Pelicans Exercise Third-Year Option
On October 16, 2013, the New Orleans Pelicans exercised the team's third-year option on Anthony Davis's contract.
2013: 2013-14 NBA Season
Anthony Davis began the 2013-14 NBA season with the newly-renamed Pelicans.
March 16, 2014: Career-High 40 Points and 21 Rebounds
On March 16, 2014, Anthony Davis scored a career-high 40 points along with a career-high 21 rebounds in a 121–120 overtime win against the Boston Celtics. This was the first 40-point, 20-rebound effort of the 2013-14 NBA season.
April 16, 2014: NBA Leader in Blocked Shots
On April 16, 2014, Anthony Davis finished the season as the NBA leader in blocked shots per game (2.82).
2014: Launched AD's Flight Academy
In 2014, Anthony Davis launched AD's Flight Academy, which holds charitable events in the Greater-New Orleans area.
2014: Won Gold Medal at the World Cup
In 2014, Anthony Davis won a gold medal with the United States national team at the World Cup.
July 9, 2015: Davis Signed Contract Extension with Pelicans
On July 9, 2015, Anthony Davis signed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with the Pelicans.
2015: Arn Tellem Became an NBA Executive
In 2015, Arn Tellem left Wasserman Media Group to become an NBA executive.
2017: Named NBA All-Star Game MVP
In 2017, Anthony Davis was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP after scoring a then-record 52 points.
2018: Signed with Klutch Sports Group
In 2018, Anthony Davis signed with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.
January 2, 2019: Career-High Rebounds
On January 2, 2019, Anthony Davis posted a career-high and franchise-record 26 rebounds, along with 34 points, in a game against the Brooklyn Nets.
July 2019: Traded to the Lakers
In July 2019, Anthony Davis was traded by the Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers.
October 22, 2019: Lakers Debut
On October 22, 2019, Anthony Davis made his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a loss against the Los Angeles Clippers.
2019: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
In 2019, Anthony Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, marking a significant change in his NBA career.
January 3, 2020: Davis Scores 46 Points Against Pelicans
On January 3, 2020, Anthony Davis scored 46 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 123-113 win over his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans.
January 2020: Declined Contract Extension
In January 2020, Anthony Davis declined a four-year contract extension offer from the Lakers.
January 23, 2020: NBA All-Star Selection
On January 23, 2020, Anthony Davis was selected as a front-court starter for the NBA All-Star Game.
December 3, 2020: Re-signed with Lakers
On December 3, 2020, Anthony Davis re-signed with the Lakers on a five-year, $190 million contract.
2020: Contract Extension and Trade Request
In 2020, Anthony Davis informed the Pelicans that he would not sign a contract extension and requested a trade, leading to fines and temporary benching before returning to play after the trade deadline.
2020: Won NBA Championship with Lakers
In 2020, Anthony Davis won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, achieving a major career milestone.
November 13, 2022: 37 Points and 18 Rebounds Against Nets
On November 13, 2022, Anthony Davis scored 37 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 116-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
August 4, 2023: Contract Extension
On August 4, 2023, Anthony Davis signed a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2023: Playoff Performance
In the 2023 playoffs, Anthony Davis had outstanding performances, including multiple games with significant points, rebounds, and blocks, joining NBA history milestones, contributing significantly to the Lakers' playoff journey.
January 9, 2024: Season-High Points
On January 9, 2024, Anthony Davis scored a season-high 41 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter, along with 11 rebounds and 6 assists in a win against the Toronto Raptors.
April 14, 2024: Leading Shot Blocker Record Surpassed
On April 16, 2014, Davis was the youngest NBA leading shot blocker at 21 years, 36 days. The record was surpassed 10 seasons later by Victor Wembanyama at 20 years, 101 days on April 14, 2024.
2024: Contract Early Termination Option
Anthony Davis's contract included an early termination option prior to the fifth season in 2024-25.
2024: 2024 NBA All-Star Game Reserve and Career Milestones
In 2024, Anthony Davis had several notable achievements, including being named a reserve for the NBA All-Star Game for the ninth time, recording a triple-double against the Charlotte Hornets, and achieving a historic stat line against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also suffered an eye contusion and played a career-high 52 minutes in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
2024: Won Gold Medal at the Olympics
In 2024, Anthony Davis won a gold medal with the United States national team at the Olympics.
January 27, 2025: Davis Scores 42 Points with 23 Rebounds
On January 27, 2025, Anthony Davis started strong against the Charlotte Hornets, amassing 21 points and 11 rebounds in just the first quarter, ultimately leading to a 42-point, 23-rebound performance in a win. Around this time, he also expressed a desire for the Lakers to acquire a center.
February 2, 2025: Davis Traded to the Dallas Mavericks
On February 2, 2025, Anthony Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks along with Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade involved Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris going to the Lakers, marking a significant event in NBA history. Davis made his Mavericks debut on February 8.
February 2025: Traded to the Mavericks
In February 2025, Anthony Davis was traded to the Mavericks in exchange for Luka Dončić.
2029: First Round Pick Traded
In 2029, the Lakers traded their first-round pick as part of the deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. This trade was a key component of the significant player exchange between the two teams.
