Lakers' Anthony Davis says he hasn't shot basketball since April
Anthony Davis is certainly enjoying his time away from the court this offseason, revealing that he hasn’t shot a basketball in over two months.
"I haven’t shot a basketball since maybe April 5," Davis said. "Probably like April 5."
April 5 was Davis’ last game of the 2021-22 NBA regular season, when the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns on the road. Davis only played 40 games this past season due to MCL and ankle injuries. The 29-year-old averaged 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in those 40 games.
On Monday's "Undisputed," Shannon Sharpe criticized Davis for apparently checking out of the sport after the season's end.
"Everything is not meant to be said out loud. Just keep that to yourself. [He] barely played 40 games," Sharpe said. "[Davis] also said that normally what he does is that he takes a month off, and then he'll hit six weeks of the weights, and then he'll start touching the basketball. AD, you stayed injured. You've had one season in which you weren't injured. Don't you think you might wanna change that up?"
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Shannon Sharpe says Anthony Davis is at a crossroads in his career when it comes to his health and preparation.
Sharpe, frustrated by Davis' nonchalant admission, went on to offer some advice to the Lakers star.
"Since you've been [in L.A.], this is what your numbers have done. Your first year here, you were 33%, two years ago you were 26% [and] last year you were 19% from the 3-point line. In the free-throw percentage, your first year you were 85%. That dipped to 74% [and] now you're 71%. And you stay hurt, and you do the same thing over and over? Are you insane?
"It's just so disappointing because you see how talented and how skilled he is, but I'm just not sure that he wants it. I don't know how bad he wants to be great."
The Lakers finished 11th in the West last season (33-49) and lost eight of their last 10 games. L.A. missed the postseason entirely this season after getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the year prior.