Tag: Johnny Davis

Report: Former Wisconsin Badger to have option declined, become free agent

Report: Former Wisconsin Badger set to have option declined, become free agent

The Washington Wizards are declining to pick up former Wisconsin Badger Johnny Davis’ team option for the 2025-26 season, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.

That means Davis, who joined the Wizards as the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, would become an unrestricted free agent.

Related: Big Ten basketball power rankings entering 2024-25 season: A first look at the expanded conference

This news doesn’t come as a huge surprise as Davis continues to struggle to establish his position at the NBA level. The shooting guard is currently playing just 5.3 minutes per game for a Wizards team that again projects to finish near the bottom of the league.

Those 5.3 minutes per game, albeit just three games into the 2024-25 season, also include averages of 0.7 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists on 25% shooting. Those numbers are all down from his totals from the 2023-24 season — a year that saw him appear in a career-high 50 games at the NBA level.

Davis is currently listed on the Wizards depth chart behind rookies Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George, veterans Corey Kispert and Jared Butler, and others. That, again, for a team that currently ranks No. 30 in ESPN’s latest power rankings.

Davis’ career-long NBA averages include 13 minutes per game, 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.3 steals on 39% shooting and 28% from three. That is in 81 total games over two-plus seasons in the league.

The Wizards can still re-sign the former Badger star once he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Give his diminished role with the organization, it’s hard to see that becoming the case.

A change of scenery could be what’s necessary for the 2022 AP Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-American. This will be a story worth monitoring with few former Badgers currently playing at the NBA level.

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Former Wisconsin guard participates in third straight summer league

Former Wisconsin guard participating in third straight Summer League

The 2025 NBA Summer League officially starts on Friday, and former Wisconsin Badgers guard Johnny Davis will be participating for the third straight year with the Washington Wizards.

Davis was selected 10th in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft by the Wizards, but he hasn’t found a consistent groove in the league. The 6-foot-4 guard appeared in 50 games in his second season in the NBA this past year, averaging 3 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 40.3% from the field.

The 22-year-old will play alongside Washington’s three first-round picks from the 2024 NBA draft: big man Alexandre Sarr (No. 2), guard Bub Carrington (No. 14) and Kyshawn George (No. 24).

With the Wizards coming off a rather disappointing 15-67 season, their sixth consecutive losing campaign, the summer league represents an opportunity for their young assets to get more comfortable with one another, and Davis will look to take advantage.

WATCH: Former Badgers guard goes over rookie year

Johnny Davis on his rookie year

Former Badgers standout guard Johnny Davis sat down with Wes Hall of Monumental Sports Network to discuss his 2022-2023 rookie campaign with the Wizards.

After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by Washington, it took Davis a little time to adjust to his new life, especially his growing family as he welcomed the birth of his first child.

In his rookie season, Davis appeared in 28 games, averaging 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds while playing 15.1 minutes per game, but he finished the season with an especially strong stretch.

He started the last five games, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks while playing 36 minutes per contest.

Now with Bradley Beal in Phoenix and Kristaps Porzingis with the Celtics, Davis could be amongst those that step into larger roles in 2023.

WATCH: The best of Johnny Davis in NBA Summer League

WATCH: The best of Johnny Davis in NBA Summer League

It’s no secret that most of year one was a struggle for Johnny Davis at the next level. That struggle started last year in NBA Summer League, where the 2022 No. 10 pick couldn’t find a rhythm within the NBA game.

This year has been a very different story in Las Vegas. Davis has put up 16.3 points, nearly five rebounds, and nearly three assists per contest as he has been one of the best players on the floor for the Washington Wizards this summer.

Davis recently had a 22-point outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder to cap off a summer that showed his progress in year two.

Johnny Davis puts up 22 points in latest NBA Summer League action

Johnny Davis puts up 22 points in latest NBA Summer League action

It was yet another productive outing for Johnny Davis today in NBA Summer League as his Washington Wizards defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-89 in Las Vegas.

The 2022 No. 10 overall pick put up 22 points in the win, and connected on three of his four looks from downtown.

It has been a solid summer for Davis, who is showing signs of growth from year one to year two.

He was able to do it at both ends, and score at all three levels for a Wizards Summer League squad that improved to 2-2 so far in Las Vegas.

Both of the recent lottery picks performed well today for Washington:

Johnny Davis has another solid showing in NBA Summer League

Johnny Davis has another solid showing in NBA Summer League

Year one in NBA Summer League was a struggle for then-rookie Johny Davis, but year two he has shown he is becoming more and more comfortable with the NBA game.

Wizards fans are hoping for a similar trajectory to what Badger fans saw from Davis at Wisconsin, where the La Crosse native took a leap from being a bench player as a freshman to one of the best players in the country as a sophomore.

The early returns from NBA Summer League have been solid, as Davis has gone for 31 points over his first two games in Las Vegas and looked the part on the defensive end. The chances will be there for Davis on a young Wizards team, and he will need to capitalize come the regular season.

WATCH: Former Badger Johnny Davis shows out at NBA Summer League

Johnny Davis had a good night for the Wizards last night

It was a rocky campaign for Wisconsin product Johnny Davis in his first NBA season. He spent much of the season in the G League, only appearing in 28 of the Washington Wizards 82 games during the regular season.

Things started to turn around for the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft as the season progressed, as Davis began to find more consistent playing time and comfort at the NBA level.

The former Badger finished last season with per-game tallies of 15.1 minutes, 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds. He shot 38% from the field, 24% from three and only 51% from the free throw line.

Now entering his second season, the game appears to be slowing down further for Davis. In Summer League action last night he went for 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Here are some highlights from his performance:

How To Watch: Two Badgers in Summer League

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams.

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams. Hosted in Las Vegas, both second-year guard Johnny Davis (Wizards) and third-year forward Micah Potter (Jazz) are in action.

Davis was selected 10th overall by Washington in the 2022 NBA Draft and he is set for an expanded role in the team’s offense in year two after the departures of Bradley Beal (PHX) and Kristaps Porzingis (BOS).

Potter went undrafted in 2021 and he’ll be entering his second year with Utah’s organization, looking to carve out a larger role for himself in 2023.

 

Three former Badgers can be seen during NBA Summer League action

Johnny Davis isn’t the only former Badger playing in the Summer League this year

The Wisconsin basketball program has not necessarily been a high-level producer of NBA players over the last decade. Several players have made it and stuck around, but few are at that level making a significant impact.

The program currently has two graduates in the league: Washington Wizards guard Johnny Davis and Utah Jazz forward Micah Potter. Of note, Potter is currently on a two-way contract with the Jazz and the NBA G League’s Salt Lake City Stars.

With the month of July comes the aftermath of the most recent NBA Draft and the NBA Summer League. The latter provides a golden opportunity for players like Potter who are working to find a permanent spot on an NBA roster.

For Badgers fans out there, these are the three Wisconsin products that will take part in the Summer League action this moth:

Johnny Davis will be on the Wizards NBA Summer League roster

Johnny Davis will get Summer League reps

This weekend will mark year two of NBA Summer League action for former Wisconsin star Johnny Davis. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft will suit up for his Washington Wizards in Las Vegas over the next ten days.

After a slow start to his rookie campaign, Davis got more and more opportunities late into the season. He scored in double-figures in all five games in April near the end of last season, and will again look to take full advantage of game reps this summer in Las Vegas.

Davis is joined by the No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft Bilal Coulibaly, a French native who was on the same professional team as No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama this past season.