2028 NBN Hall of Fame Nominee: Anthony Davis

[Rog]

The 112th nominee for the NBN Hall of Fame is Anthony Davis. Davis is another top 3 pick, actually was picked #1, who came in with huge expectations. Most would say he matched those expectations, but did he live up to them enough to get into the Hall of Fame or did he fall short? Lets take a look. 


Career Stats
36.6 MPG, 23.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 BPG, 1.4 SPG, 2.1 TOPG on 44.4% from the field, 88.1% from the line, and 39.6% from three

Best Season
Knicks(2021) - 28.5 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 3.9 BPG, 3.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 2.8 TOPG on 42.5% from the field, 93.7% from the line, and 45.1% from three


Career Highs
Points: 51
Rebounds: 31
Assists: 10
Steals: 8
Blocks: 12


Achievements
Championships: 0
Player of the Game: 354
Player of the Week: 11
Player of the Month: 6
Double Doubles: 873
Triple Doubles: 7

Career Leaderboard Rankings
Points - 32nd
Points Among Bigs - 5th
Rebounds - 11th
Blocks - 9th
Steals Among Bigs - 8th 
Double Doubles - 5th

Awards
2014 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2014 - Rookie of the Year
2014 - All-Rookie Team
2015 - All-Star Game Participant
2015 - All-Defensive Second Team
2016 - All-Star Game Participant
2017 - All-Star Game Participant
2017 - All-League First Team
2018 - All-Star Game Participant
2018 - All-League Second Team
2019 - All-Star Game Participant
2019 - All-Star Game MVP
2020 - All-Star Game Participant
2020 - All-League First Team
2021 - All-Star Game Participant
2021 - All-League First Team
2021 - Defensive Player of the Year
2021 - All-Defensive Team
2022 - All-Star Game Participant
2022 - All-Star Game MVP
2022 - All-League First Team
2023 - All-Star Game Participant
2023 - All-League Second Team
2023 - All-Defensive Second Team
2024 - All-Star Game Participant
2024 - All-League First Team
2025 - All-Star Game Participant
2025 - All-League Second Team
2026 - All-League Third Team
2027 - All-Star Game Participant
2027 - All-League Second Team
2028 - All-Star Game Participant



Arguments For Induction
- So... and deep breath... Davis played in three All-Star Games, winning MVP in two of them proving to be the best of the best group of players. He was named to one All-Defensive First Team and two All-Defensive Second team, winning Defensive Player of the Year in one of those years as well. And finally, Davis was named to five All-League First Teams, four Second Teams, and one Third team as well. Fuck that is a lot of awards. 

- Anthony Davis was an absolutely destructive defensive player. He averaged 4.4 stocks per game for his career, but for 9 seasons he averaged at least 3 blocks and 1.2 steals, at times reaching over 5 stocks per game. His ability to protect the paint, generate turnovers, and be an overall great defender was unparalleled in his time in the league. He finished 9th in blocks and 8th in steals among big men. He did that only playing in 15 total seasons in his career, which is a decent amount but some guys play 18+. His defensive awards and stocks add up to one hell of a defender. 

- Just as good as his defensive ability was his ability to grab boards at a high level. He averaged 12.8 per game, and had seven seasons in a row, and eight total, where he averaged over 13 per game including a season over 14. He finished 11th in rebounds, which is more down to the fact he didn't play a crazy long time, but during his time he was here he was near elite. 

- What he was also elite at was scoring the ball. His 23.5 points per game average is one of the better we've ever seen, and will ever see, for a big. He had SEVEN seasons where he scored 25.7 points per game or more. That is an absolutely crazy number for a PF in a wing dominated league. He could score from everywhere too. He shot 44.4% from the field, a great number for a volume shooting big in FBB. His midrange was deadly, probably had an 85+ jumpshot rating, and shot 88.1% from the line in his career. And considering he shot about 8 a game from the line, he averaged 7 points per game from the line, crazy. Plus he shot around a three pointer a game, with just over 1,000 in his career taken, knocking down 407 for a 39.6%. Well rounded scorer only begins to say it. 

- It goes on and on and on with one of the best bigs in league history, Davis could do it all. Despite all that volume, all that ability offensively, he still only turned it over 2.1 times a game and only once more than 2.5 a game. He also averaged 3 assists per game, good for nearly a 1.5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio, very solid for a big. 

- Top five scorer among bigs, top 10 blocks, top 15 rebounds, top 5 in double doubles, and on and on and on it goes. He has one of the best peaks in history for a big, along the likes of Brook Lopez and Tim Duncan and Chris Webber for a guy who statistically just blows everyone else away. The only thing truly missing from his legacy is a title, which frankly he was always part of an up and coming Knicks roster that SpikeLee is now really starting to find a groove and figure this league out. It takes time for a lot of guys, and Davis was the star among a team that had its flaws. Davis led those teams to greater heights than they ever had any business going. He is a Hall of Famer, and that is a fact. 

Arguments Against Induction
- There are a few guys, and there will be a couple more in this class, where you don't have anything to write here. Davis is among the discussion as best big in league history, he is a Hall of Famer. Sure he had some injury issues, sure he doesn't have a title, sure he wasn't a truly elite rebounder, and sure his defensive awards lack as does his appearances on the best defenders list. So what? Guy was unstoppable and fits the statistical dominance quota, as well as the all time stat quota, and realistically very easily the accolades quota as well. There is no world where he is a no vote. These things only chip away at his "Best Big In League History" claim. 



Vote carefully, and remember to throw out arguments regardless of which side you're on. This should be a discussion that eventually gets the league to the proper decision on him. Your vote can also be retracted after it's been cast if you feel like switching to the other side based on the arguments that have been made. To be inducted, a player needs 70% and to be considered in a later class they need 50%. Vote carefully.


***BONUS - Don't forget that everyone who votes gets $25 and the person that makes the best argument or contributes to the discussion the best will be awarded an extra $25***

[Rog]

Anthony Davis Player Page

[pjclippers]

Davis is a first ballot hall of famer for sure. Not really anything negative you can say about his game. One of the best bigs this league has ever seen.

[kipper]

31% player of the game. 7 straight seasons of 13 rebounds or more and 20 points or more. 88% FT for a big. Double double in more than 75% of his games. Except rookie season, never been under 12 rebounds a game. 2.1 turnovers per game. He was very efficient at shooting and at handling the ball for a big. Cannot say no to that.

I voted knicks cause that is where he spent most of his career and also is where he won his DPOY and multiple ASG appearance.

[afro]

Yes...wish he got me the GMOY award that year I got him and anthoer HOF to win 60+ Games, I cried like a little  bitch about it 😩  

[frosty]

Yes for knicks, bummer he doesnt have a ring

[JCog72]

Yes for sure, he was a beast and the top NBN big during his prime. HOFer as a Knick

[nfields21]

Yessir. ADs the man, he was a top Big and still very productive up until the very end of his career with the Nets. Mark me as a yes.

[lynchcats]

13 All-Star games, former Rookie of the Year, former Defensive Player of the Year, 5-time All First-Team, one of the most decorated players in NBN history. Another easy yes.

[verlasco]

yes for sure. all round dominant player

[Charles]

Easy yes, I think you could argue he’s the goat PF

[A. Silver]

Elite scorer and elite defender, not a lot to debate here.

[rr1582]

Absolutely, has an absolute myriad of awards. Davis also was probably the best all-around big since the days of Duncan/KG/C-Webb. I think Davis was robbed of a handful of All-Defensive Awards because guys like Noel & Turner seemed to always claim them instead.

[buckeyeballa10]

Absolutely yes. I remember when we we all doing "top players in the league" articles and fantasy drafts, it was loaded with PG, SG, and SF's and then A.Davis was in there too. He was a stud, scored at will while being an elite defender and rebounder. Always wish I had him on my squad.

[bigthunder]

Yes, it's sad to see guys like Davis and Westbrook end up not ever winning everything but just look at his stats and you can see he is a first ballot HOF player.