Back in July 2010, a 15-year-old Anthony Davis attended LeBron James’ Skills Academy just days before LeBron made “The Decision” to join the Miami Heat. Fresh out of Chicago Perspectives Charter School, Davis was awaiting his own decision between Kentucky, Ohio State, or Syracuse. Reflecting on the experience, Davis admitted how monumental it was for him at that stage of his basketball journey.
“I remember catching a Greyhound bus from Chicago all the way to Ohio to his camp, by myself,” Davis told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “Fifteen years old and getting to his camp and I remember being like, ‘That’s LeBron James.’”
While LeBron’s career-changing announcement grabbed headlines on July 8, 2010, Davis was on his own path, eventually committing to Kentucky and winning the 2012 NCAA title. His bond with LeBron strengthened over the years, especially through their mutual connection with Chris Paul. “Once I got in the league, I already knew (Chris) Paul in high school. So obviously, him and Bron were really close and I kinda knew Bron throughout the years, maybe my second year we got really close,” Davis recalled in 2020. Their friendship came full circle when Davis joined the Lakers in 2019, becoming an inseparable duo alongside LeBron.
However, cracks appeared in the 2023-24 season when Davis’s distant body language during LeBron’s historic night as the NBA’s all-time scoring leader sparked speculation. Davis clarified that his frustration stemmed from the Lakers trailing in the game, not jealousy. LeBron backed him up, saying, “There’s no jealousy. There’s not a jealous bone in our bodies. We’re never jealous of one another. Ever.”
When Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks midseason, the Lakers were reportedly blindsided, including LeBron. The emotional fallout was palpable when Davis returned to Crypto.com Arena. Head coach JJ Redick held a team meeting beforehand to address the awkward situation.
“Yeah, I think there’s… you know, it’s not just for Luka. We talked about it before the game with the group. It, you know, it’s Max, and it’s AD, and we kinda just got to embrace it,” Redick explained in the post-game presser. “It’s just a little weird. It just naturally is… So it’s healthy, actually, just to acknowledge it, and embrace it, and then, you play the game, and then you never have to do that again.”
Drawing from his 15-year playing career across six teams, Redick understood the inevitable awkwardness of facing former teammates. His approach of confronting the emotions head-on appeared to resonate with the squad.
Although Davis missed the game due to an adductor injury, the Lakers honored him with a touching two-minute tribute video highlighting his contributions to the franchise, including the 2020 NBA title. The crowd gave Davis a warm ovation, which he acknowledged by waving to the fans.
Redick expressed his own sadness, saying, “I’ll start with the fact that I miss just being around him every day. He’s a fantastic human being and a wonderful teammate.”
LeBron echoed similar sentiments after the game, paying tribute to Davis. “We know what AD was for this franchise… He’s one of my best friends. It was great to see him get that recognition in that moment.”
Despite the emotional farewell, the Lakers demonstrated that some bonds go beyond basketball — a testament to the friendship between two of the game’s greatest stars.
