Pelicans' Alvin Gentry wants Anthony Davis to take more three-pointers

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry says he wants Anthony Davis to take more 3-point shots next season

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry says he wants his All-NBA forward Anthony Davis to take more three-point shots, starting next season.

Gentry was hired in May to replace Monty Williams after being an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. He says he wants Davis to extend his range in games.

"That's got to become a consistent shot for him," Gentry said, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "I don't think he's going to have any problem doing it. If you go back and look at his high school days, he was a very good three-point shooter, but all of a sudden he decided to grow six or eight inches. He still has that range, but I don't think it has been incorporated in the offense in college or the pros that he's been in."

Davis only attempted one three-pointer last season, a game-winner from 30 feet in a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in February.

In his three-year NBA career, Davis has only made three of 27 three-point attempts.

Gentry said he told Davis that during his practices in the off-season he wants him to make 150 corner three-pointers from each side of the court. A video showing Davis practicing his post moves and three-point shooting was posted earlier this month.

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“We want him to shoot that shot. So I think you probably see him make more threes than he's made his entire career,” Gentry said. "He's a building block for everyone and we will try to run our offense through him."

Davis, 22, averaged 24.4 points and 10.2 rebounds last season, helping lead the Pelicans to their first playoff appearances in three seasons. He was named an All-Star starter and made the All-NBA first team. He recently agreed to a five-year, $145 million extension with New Orleans.

- Scooby Axson