Anthony Davis and Luther Burden III found themselves in a little social-media skirmish Sunday night, and it all started with Davis doing what has long annoyed Chicago sports fans: repping the Packers.
Before Green Bay’s rivalry game against Chicago, the NBA star posted a video on Instagram in full Packers gear while challenging internet personality Dyon Brooks to a jersey bet. Davis also leaned right into the obvious question from his critics, saying, "I know, I know, how can a guy from Chicago be a Packers fan?"
That was enough to invite a flood of Bears fans into the comments, and Burden eventually joined them after the Packers rolled to a 31-7 win.
Burden dropped a corn emoji under the post, and Davis quickly fired back with, "Heard you ain't wanna play today champ!"
That was a direct nod to comments Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin made earlier in the day after the game, when he told reporters, "He quit today. He didn't wanna play no more."
Burden wasn’t done. He answered by pointing out that he led the Bears in receiving yards in Week 5, finishing with four catches for 47 yards.
"Keep glazing cheese head," Burden wrote at Davis.
Then he added one more jab, telling Davis to "take Chicago out [of your] bio."
The back-and-forth appeared to stop there, and for the moment Davis had the cleaner ending. Green Bay moved to 3-2 on the season, pulling even with the Bears and Lions in the NFC North.
Davis, meanwhile, is set to begin his first official season with the Wizards on Oct. 21 against the Bucks.
In Other News...
Wizards Young Core Is Starting To Force A Tough Rotation Call
The Wizards preseason is already starting to look like a sorting exercise, with Washington leaning on a group of recent draft picks and young talent that has been piling up over the last few years. In the win over Detroit, the rookie class and the newer faces around the roster gave the team another look at what this next phase could become, as Felix Okpara continued to draw attention and the group around AJ Dybantsa and Anthony Davis kept working into defined roles.
Justin Champagnie also stayed in the mix as one of the more dependable pieces in Washingtons early camp picture, which is where the rotation question gets interesting. The Wizards used a tight group for much of the first half, and that kind of early-season compression tends to put pressure on the fringes fast, especially when younger players keep making enough of an impression to force the coaching staff to think twice about who belongs in the nightly mix. [Read more 🡒]
Felix Okpara Is Giving The Wizards A Frontcourt Decision To Make
The Wizards have spent the early part of the post-draft process introducing their newest rookies, and Felix Okpara has already given them something to think about. In limited preseason minutes, the young big man flashed the kind of athleticism and defensive activity that can make a team pay attention fast, and it showed up in a win over the Detroit Pistons as Washington continued sorting through a crowded frontcourt.
Okpara is still not viewed as an immediate rotation piece, which is no surprise on a roster with more established size ahead of him. Even so, he has looked like the sort of developmental addition who can make a case with every clean rebound, rim contest and extra possession, and the next step may be finding the right balance between patience and opportunity as he works his way through the G League. [Read more 🡒]
Bilal Coulibaly Suddenly Has Real Pressure In Wizards Rotation
Bilal Coulibaly is heading into a pivotal season with Washington, and the timing could hardly be less forgiving. The former lottery pick is in the final year of his rookie deal, which puts him on track for restricted free agency next offseason, and the Wizards are already showing they have more wing options to sort through than they did a year ago.
Preseason has only sharpened the pressure around his role. Teammates have stepped forward while Coulibaly has not found the same footing offensively, and Washingtons addition of Khris Middleton adds another veteran wing who can stretch the floor and absorb minutes. For a young player still trying to establish himself, the margin for error in this rotation may be shrinking fast. [Read more 🡒]