Tag: Johnny Davis

Wizards encouraged by Johnny Davis’ G League stint: ‘He’s playing with a different swagger’

Davis has spent much of the season in the G League, and Unseld is encouraged by the progress he is making.

Washington Wizards rookie Johnny Davis has spent much of the season in the NBA G League, and the team is encouraged by the progress the 10th pick is making on assignment.

Davis has played almost exclusively with the Capital City Go-Go; he has  totaled 50 minutes across 10 appearances with the Wizards. The team has opted to keep Davis with the Go-Go to begin the transition to the NBA and adjust to the different level of competition.

He is averaging 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal on 35.2% shooting from 3-point range in 14 games with the Go-Go. He has scored in double figures 11 times, including a season-high 19 points and nine rebounds on Nov. 12.

Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. sees Davis playing differently.

I like his level of confidence. I think he is playing with a different swagger. The shots may fall; they may not. I think he is defending at a high level, which is a great sign but I see a different level of confidence from him there.

He is taking the assignments in stride and is viewing them as an opportunity to improve on the court. The chance to play consistent minutes with the Go-Go has given him a great way to develop, and the 20-year-old is impressing along the way.

Unseld said Davis will rejoin the Wizards relatively soon and could have an opportunity to log some extended minutes. The organization was ecstatic to add Davis through the draft and it may get a chance soon to get a look at him in the NBA.

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Jabari Smith Jr., Keegan Murray among rookies to sign with Adidas

Jabari Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray were among 14 rookies to sign endorsement contracts with Adidas.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray were among 12 rookies who had signed endorsement contracts with Adidas, the apparel company announced on Thursday.

This is the largest draft class ever for Adidas and features 11 first-round picks and six lottery selections. The players have worn the Three Stripes for the majority of the season as endorsing athletes.

Related: Holmgren, Ivey among 14 rookies to sign with Nike

They join a talented roster of players signed to Adidias that includes James Harden, Candace Parker, Damian Lillard, Chiney Ogwumike, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell.

Here are the 12 rookies that signed with Adidas this season.

Wizards’ Johnny Davis puts up 15 points in G League with Go-Go

Davis reached double figures for the fifth time in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go on Friday.

Washington Wizards rookie Johnny Davis reached double figures for the fifth time in the NBA G League with the Capital City Go-Go on Friday.

Davis produced 15 points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal in 31 minutes of action in the 104-93 road win at the Maine Celtics. He shot 6-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range, as the Go-Go split a two-game series versus Maine.

The 10th pick looked to play aggressively throughout the contest and had success driving into the paint and finishing at the rim. He even threw down a highlight-reel dunk late in the game to punctuate the victory.

With the performance, Davis is averaging 15 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists with the Go-Go. He has scored at least 13 points in five of his six games and is shooting 45.3% from the field, including 44.4% from 3-point range.

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said on Sunday he is starting to see some growth with Davis after his stint in the G League. Unseld recognized the sample size is still rather small but he believes the game is starting to slow for Davis.

Davis values the opportunity to play with the Go-Go and work on his development. He has bought into the Wizards’ plan for him and is taking full advantage of his time in the G League.

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Wizards’ Johnny Davis nears 20 points on assignment in G League

Davis drained a season-high four 3-pointers on assignment in the G League with the Go-Go.

Washington Wizards rookie Johnny Davis neared a 20-point performance Thursday on assignment in the NBA G League with the Capital City Go-Go.

Davis produced 18 points, five assists and four rebounds in 31 minutes of work in the 105-103 loss on the road to the Maine Celtics. He shot 7-of-16 from the field, including a season-high 4-of-8 from 3-point range, as the Go-Go dropped to 4-2 on the season.

The 10th pick continued to show improvement on the court in the outing. He scored 10 points alone in the third quarter and had two of his 3s in the period. He also got into the paint several times and made some tough finishes at the rim.

With the performance, Davis is now averaging 15 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and one block with the Go-Go. He has appeared in five of their six games this season and is shooting 48.3% from the field, including 47.8% from 3-point range.

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said on Sunday that he is starting to see some growth with Davis after his stint in the G League. Unseld recognized the sample size is still rather small but he believes the game is starting to slow down for him.

Davis is taking the assignments in stride and is viewing them as an opportunity to improve on the court. The chance to play consistent minutes with the Go-Go is giving him a great way to work on his game and he is taking advantage of that opportunity.

The Go-Go face the Celtics again on Friday.

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Wizards’ Wes Unseld Jr. sees growth with Johnny Davis after G League stint

Unseld on Sunday said that he can see some growth with rookie Johnny Davis after his recent stint in the G League.

Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. on Sunday said he can see some growth with rookie Johnny Davis after his recent stint in the NBA G League

Davis debuted with the Capital City Go-Go on Nov. 5 and struggled a bit on offense. He recorded 11 points, two assists, two blocks and one steal on 3-of-9 shooting from the field in 18 minutes. He provided some strong moments on defense, though.

The 10th pick likely just needed one game to adjust to the different level of play. He followed that performance with 17 points the next night on 6-of-7 shooting and had 19 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting on Saturday.

Unseld believes Davis is getting more comfortable on the court.

The game is starting to slow down for him. I think that is a huge thing (to know) where you’re going to get your shots. There is a comfortability with knowing that you’re open. Defenses are going to take some of your strengths away so you have to understand the angles and timing and a lot of that is with your physicality and your setups. I like the fact that he isn’t chasing shots. He is staying aggressive but he is also defending. Those are all good things to see. I know it is a small sample and it is in the G League but there is growth.

Unseld previously said Davis could see extended minutes with the Go-Go after playing sparingly to start the season with Washington. He has logged only 30 minutes this season across five appearances, playing mostly in mop-up duty.

Davis has not cracked the Wizards’ rotation yet with so many veterans ahead of him on the roster. The team is opting to give them the majority of the minutes as it looks to compete for a playoff spot, leaving Davis on the outside.

He is taking the assignments in stride and is viewing them as an opportunity to improve on the court. The chance to play consistent minutes with the Go-Go is giving him a great way to work on his game and continue his development.

The organization was ecstatic to add Davis through the draft, but it is becoming increasingly likely he will spend much of this season in a developmental role. As a result, Davis could be on assignment with the Go-Go often.

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Wizards’ Johnny Davis glad for opportunity to play in G League

With playing time at a minimum, Davis had the opportunity to see the court Saturday on assignment with the Capital City Go-Go.

With playing time at a minimum, Washington Wizards rookie Johnny Davis had the opportunity to see the court Saturday on assignment with the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA G League.

Davis recorded 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and one steal in a 110-107 loss to the Raptors 905. He finished by shooting 3-of-13 from the field, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range, in 25 minutes off the bench.

The 10th pick largely struggled on offense. However, he had some strong moments on defense. He thought his defense was where he made the biggest impact.

“I would definitely say defense,” Davis said, according to Wayne Cole on Twitter. “There were a couple of times in the second half where guys were driving and I stayed solid, but I feel like I can improve on my all-around game.”

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. previously said Davis could see extended minutes with the Go-Go after playing sparingly to start the season. He has logged only 30 minutes this season across five appearances, playing mostly in mop-up duty.

Davis has not cracked the Wizards’ rotation yet with so many veterans ahead of him on the roster. The team is opting to give them the majority of the minutes as it looks to compete for a playoff spot, leaving Davis on the outside.

He is relishing the opportunity to play with the Go-Go.

It was great to finally play again. Being with the Wizards, you always have to stay ready, but I’m glad they sent me down here so I can get some reps and get that feeling back.

The organization was ecstatic to add Davis through the draft, but it is becoming increasingly likely he will spend much of this season in a developmental role. As a result, Davis could be on assignment with the Go-Go often.

The Go-Go return to action on Sunday against the 905 again.

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Wizards’ Wes Unseld Jr. hints Johnny Davis could be sent to G League

Davis has yet to make an appearance over the first three games of the season for the Wizards.

Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. on Tuesday said that rookie Johnny Davis could eventually play with the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA G League.

Davis has not made an appearance over the first three games of the season for the Wizards entering Tuesday. Unseld has mostly deployed a 10-man rotation in the early going; the veterans on the roster have seen the bulk of the minutes, leaving Davis on the outside.

The Wizards have utilized the Go-Go frequently in the past for their younger players to get them playing time. With the regular season tipping off next month in the G League, Davis could soon join the Go-Go, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.

Davis made four appearances in the preseason, averaging 2.5 points, three rebounds, 1.5 assists and one steal in 19.3 minutes per game. He struggled to shoot from the field after converting only 20.8% from the field and 20% from 3-point range.

The organization was ecstatic to add Davis through the draft, but it is becoming increasingly likely that he will spend much of this season in a developmental role. As a result, Davis could be on assignment with the Go-Go often.

The Go-Go tip off their season on Nov. 5 with the Raptors 905.

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‘He is a dog’: Wizards’ Johnny Davis impressed during offseason workouts

Davis had a so-so showing in the Las Vegas Summer League, but bounced back and impressed the team in offseason workouts.

Washington Wizards rookie Johnny Davis had a so-so showing in the Las Vegas Summer League, but the 10th pick bounced back during the offseason and impressed the team in workouts.

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard revealed this week that Davis suffered a minor back injury that limited him in summer league. In three games, Davis averaged 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 29.6% shooting from the field.

The team, with the exception of two players who had prior obligations, gathered in Los Angeles and participated in some runs. Davis returned to form during those scrimmages, which drew some praise from Sheppard.

He got back in the lab (after summer league) and got healthy. He struggled a little bit in summer league with some back stuff, but when the players got together in L.A., I think everybody saw what we saw all season from him as a player in college: He is a dog. He goes hard. He loves to compete. I think whatever that emerges, he is going to earn it.

The front office brought in several players over the offseason, including Monte Morris, Delon Wright and Will Barton. The backcourt figures to be crowded now, which could make it tough for Davis to see a large role to start the season.

Davis will certainly have to earn his spot, but his role could change depending on different lineups or injuries. The team likes his scoring ability as a two-guard and believes he will eventually have what it takes to crack the rotation.

It is safe to say that Davis will do everything he can to make that happen.

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NBA Rookie of the Year: The updated odds after the Chet Holmgren injury

The NBA Rookie of the Year odds saw a drastic change on Thursday following the injury news to Chet Holmgren.

Teams in the NBA will not begin training camp for the 2022-23 season for another month, but the Rookie of the Year odds underwent a drastic change after a key injury.

Of course, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Thursday that Chet Holmgren will miss the season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. The setback will require surgery, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

As the second pick, Holmgren was the subject of enormous expectations this season. He was viewed as a key addition to the Thunder and was a Rookie of the Year candidate. In fact, Holmgren had the third-best odds (plus-400) of winning the award prior to summer league.

With Holmgren out for the season, Tipico Sportsbook released an updated set of odds for the rookie class. There were several changes to the odds, not only accounting for the injury to Holmgren but also for how each player performed in summer league and other factors.

Here are the updated odds for the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year race.

Wisconsin Badgers 2022 NBA Summer League Recap

Five former Badgers showcased their talents in the NBA summer league; let’s see how they fared:

The University of Wisconsin has only two players signed to guaranteed NBA contracts entering the 2022 season, Frank Kaminsky and lottery pick Johnny Davis, who was the first player selected during the Greg Gard era.

However, this summer, former Badgers Vitto Brown, Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter, and Aleem Ford also had a chance to showcase their talents in front of NBA scouting personnel in Las Vegas.

Summer league offers a little something for everyone who partakes. For rookies, it’s their first chance to get a taste of the next level. For other young players, it’s an opportunity to show their growth from one year to the next. For journeymen that have scratched and clawed their way to be in Las Vegas, it’s a last-ditch effort to make the leap from overseas to the association.

With summer league wrapping up last week, BadgersWire examines how all five former Wisconsin Badgers standouts played in Las Vegas: