Anthony Davis is no stranger to public scrutiny. The Los Angeles Lakers big man has been a magnet to criticism throughout his career given his constant injury woes.
After another injury-plagued campaign in the 2021-22 season, AD came out guns blazing this season. He was posting MVP-level numbers while leading a Lakers side that had LeBron James in and out of the lineup early. Then came yet another injury setback, as he hurt his foot in a mid-December contest against the Denver Nuggets.
Davis recalled the emotional scene in his home after receiving the news that he would potentially miss months of the season once again. The Lakers star admits he sulked in a closet in his home, which drew concern from his 6-year-old daughter Nala, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin:
“She whispers to my wife, ‘Mommy, what's wrong with Daddy?'” Davis recalled.
“She wants to come hug me but she's scared to. So my wife was like, ‘It's OK.'
“I see her and in my head I'm like, ‘Don't come touching me.' But she comes over, she gives me a quick hug, leaves, she sits back down and she says, ‘Mommy, I'll be right back. I got an idea.'”
Nala scurried off, and Davis' dour demeanor had already started to melt away as he toggled back to dad mode. But, he wanted to see what Nala would do when she returned, so he stayed on the floor with his hand over his face.
“At this point I'm trying to act,” the Lakers forward said, smiling at the ridiculousness of the scenario.
Nala returned a few minutes later and placed a piece of paper on the clothes pile next to him.
“Daddy, everything's going to be OK,” Nala said.
While not everything is 100% fine for the Lakers right now given their precarious place in the playoff race and LeBron James' ongoing injury, things are much better than that low point for Anthony Davis.
He managed to cut the initial 8-10 week timetable in half and has seen his supporting cast bolstered since then. Given that AD's injury issues are out of his control, he's one of the worst examples of how players can get held to an unfair standard. Thankfully, he has a strong support system and a daughter who has his back, injuries or not.
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