Lakers News: Multi-Time LA Champion Believes Anthony Davis on Cusp of MVP Season

The nine-time All-Star enjoyed his healthiest-ever run in 2023-24.

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; USA center Anthony Davis (14) catches a pass against Canada in the third quarter in the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Nine-time Los Angeles Lakers All-Star center/power forward Anthony Davis is submitting an encore performance following one of his best-ever seasons with the club in 2023-24.

The 6-foot-10 big man appeared in a career-most 76 regular season games, as the best two-way player for the 47-35 Lakers, averaging 24.7 points on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 81.6 percent shooting from the charity stripe. He made the NBA's All-Defensive First Team, and an All-NBA Second Team, while coming in fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The 31-year-old had missed at least 26 games in each of his prior three seasons with Los Angeles.

This summer, the future first ballot Hall of Famer is serving as a key frontcourt defender for Team USA Basketball, as the men's club seeks its fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in this year's Paris games.

During Team USA's first three warm-up games, Davis has made such a positive impression that (a) he's already looking like he deserves to supplant 2023 MVP Joel Embiid as Team USA's starting center and (b) a former two-time. L.A. champ and the 2011 Sixth Man of the Year is convinced he could be on his way to even better accolades in 2024-25.

Former Lakers power forward/center Lamar Odom took to his personal X account to reflect on The Brow's insanely slick defensive output against Nikola Jokic and Team Serbia.

Big fella might have an MVP like season if he stays healthy!! https://t.co/xdpTbC2aMH

— LAMAR ODOM (@LamarOdom) July 17, 2024

If Davis wants any shot at an MVP honor, the Lakers will need to win many more games than they did last year. Los Angeles would have to finish as, most likely, at least a four-seed in the crowded Western Conference, which could prove a tough task considering that the team's personnel is largely unchanged from last year's club, which finished as merely the No. 8 seed by record, before notching the West's No. 7 seed via the Play-In Tournament.

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