Anthony Davis didn’t hide how uncomfortable the extra bulk felt during his Lakers years, and he laid it out plainly on the “Numbers on the Board” podcast during the Wizards’ Media Day.
He said the added weight came from the demands of playing center, especially with matchups like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic in mind. Davis explained that his training changed because of that role, but the size came with a price.
“It does, man. Like, the strength training I was doing, because I knew I was playing center.
I’m going against the likes of Joel Embiid and Jokic, so it changes, right?” said Anthony Davis when asked about whether his weight gain affected his shooting motion during the time he was with the Lakers.
He said he had spent most of his career around 250 or 255 pounds, but the number climbed much higher in Los Angeles.
“And I never, like, I’ve always played like 250, 255, and that year I had got to like 265, and it was like, I didn’t like it. It actually probably was like 268, and I didn’t like it.
I’m like, bro, I can’t play like this. I feel heavy,” he explained.
Davis also described trying to trim down while the season was still going, and said that’s when he pushed for the Lakers to add another big man so he could move back to power forward. He said that never materialized.
“And so I tried to cut during the season, but when you’re trying to do that while you’re playing, it was tough. And then that’s when I went and was like, ‘hey man, I want another big’ and all this stuff, and, you know, it just didn’t happen, whatever.”
He now sounds relieved to be in a situation where he doesn’t have to absorb all of that center work by himself.
“But now that I’m able to, as you guys see, when you put me against another, alongside another big man, it’s like it’s a different ball game for me. So, it’s different.
I’m excited. I’m excited,” Davis concluded.
Davis said he’s been at his best when there’s been another big on the floor with him, pointing back to different stops in his career. In New Orleans, he said he had Omer Asik, Robin Lopez and Boogie with him. In Los Angeles, he said the early years included Dwight and JaVale before it turned into full-time center duty.
“Like, for me, I feel like I’ve been most successful in my career when I had another big, right?” said Anthony Davis, explaining why he prefers playing power forward.
“You go back all into New Orleans, right? I had Omer Asik and, you know, Robin Lopez, you know, and Boogie with me. Like, you know, you think about my years in New Orleans.”
“Then go to LA. First couple years, you know, you get the Dwight and the JaVale, then they left, and then it was like all AD at the five, and it’s like, all right, s**t, right?”
Now he believes the setup in Washington can give him more freedom. Davis pointed to Alex Sarr and DeAndre Ayton as the kind of frontcourt support he has wanted, saying it opens up his defensive range and gives the Wizards more options.
“But I think having, you know, myself, Alex [Sarr], and then adding, you know, DeAndre Ayton, another big, it gives me the ability to roam, you know, guard the perimeter. It gives our defense a different dynamic.”
“It gives our defense the ability to run more schemes. So, the schematics of it, you’re able to really get into your bag when it comes to the defense.
And then it’s going to be tough for teams to score on us, man. So, it’s going to be a fun season on both ends of the floor for us,” Anthony Davis concluded.
Davis’ comments make clear how much playing alongside another big has mattered to him, and how different things feel now that he’s in a frontcourt built to let him work at power forward again.
In Other News...
Warriors Got An Early Look At A Lakers Question That Still Matters
Ahead of the Lakers second preseason game against the Warriors, JJ Redick made it clear this was going to be more of a look-and-learn night than a full dress rehearsal. Nearly half the roster sat, including several key names, and the result was a one-sided loss that mattered less on the scoreboard than in the small roster battles still unfolding beneath it.
Jarred Vanderbilt once again flashed the defensive value that has long made him an interesting piece in Los Angeles, even as his offense stayed limited. On the other end, Jaden Hardy showed some scoring ability but also gave the ball away too often, which is the kind of preseason tradeoff that can linger into the regular season. With roster spots still unsettled, these kinds of performances are part of the evaluation the Lakers will keep weighing as they move closer to opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Is Defining His Voice For This New-Look Lakers Team
Austin Reaves is stepping into a different kind of spotlight this fall, with the Lakers asking him to help guide a roster that now has to move forward without LeBron James. Coming off a strong season, Reaves is no longer just one of the reliable pieces around the stars, he is becoming one of the voices the team will lean on as it tries to establish a new identity.
Reaves has been clear about the kind of leadership he prefers, and it is not built around public callouts or dramatic scenes. He sees it as something more personal, rooted in one-on-one conversations and calm accountability, a style that fits his approach and the way he connects with teammates. For the Lakers, the question is not just whether he can produce, but whether that quieter voice can help set the tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Kept This Lakers Loss From Feeling Like Just Preseason
The preseason opener in San Francisco carried more than the usual September exhibition feel, with the Warriors turning it into Nellie Night in honor of the late Don Nelson. Golden State wore yellow Nellie patches on its jerseys, a nod to the coach who helped shape the franchise and, for Stephen Curry, the rookie-season veteran whose influence still lingers as one of the defining figures in his early NBA path.
Curry helped make sure the night had some edge for the Lakers, too. He played 14 minutes and scored 16 points as Golden State rolled to a 124-98 win, giving the game a little more weight than a typical tune-up. The teams will meet again in the regular season on October 21, when the stakes will be real and the Lakers will get their first chance to respond. [Read more 🡒]