Johnny Davis, a sophomore guard at the University of Wisconsin, told NBA Today on Thursday that he will enter the NBA draft in 2022.
After taking some time off and discussing everything with my family and coaches, I have decided to pursue a lifelong dream by declaring for the NBA draft with the intent of hiring an agent.
Davis was named Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American after he averaged 19.4 points, 8.4 rebound and 2.1 assists in 34 minutes per game.
The players in the locker room and the coaching staff knew they had the potential to be a special team.
Winning the Big Ten regular-season title and playing in the NCAA tournament was more important than the Big Ten Player of the Year award. I think NBA teams saw a player who is tough, who competes on both ends of the court, and who will do whatever it takes to help my team win. I want to be the best player when I step on the floor.
After losing at home to Nebraska in the final game of the regular season, Davis led Wisconsin to a Big Ten title. The Badgers led by 10 points at halftime, but lost the lead when Davis went down with an ankle injury.
I was not 100%, but I felt confident that we still had a chance to win the Big Ten Conference tournament and advance to the NCAA tournament.
Davis is a finalist for some of the most prestigious postseason awards in college basketball, including the Wooden, Naismith and Lute Olson awards, all of which are presented annually to the top player in Division I men's basketball.
Davis grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and was named the state's Mr. Basketball. Twin brother Jordan was a wide receiver and was also an all-star quarterback. Jordan Davis is on the basketball team.
The ascent of Johnny Davis from a three-star high school recruit to arguably the best player in college basketball was remarkable. He was part of the USA Basketball team that won a gold medal at the U19 World Cup in Latvia this past summer, but few expected him to be a top 10 pick just a few months later.
Davis said that Gard and his teammates gave him the confidence and opportunity to have a larger role than his freshman season. I have been fortunate to work with my toughest defender, my twin brother, Jordan, for as long as I can remember, and I trust the work I have put in over the years.
The path to the NBA is not the same for all players. I went to Wisconsin to change the narrative surrounding our program because I was not ranked highly in high school. My dad always told me that production is more important than potential and that I should focus on playing hard and winning.
NBA scouts have compared Davis to Suggs, the No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft, and he has the physical attributes to play in the NBA.
He was the primary ball handler and one of the best pick-and-roll and midrange scorers in college basketball, while hitting 37 3-pointers and 155 free throws in 31 games.
I know the pace and style of play in the NBA is different, but I think that suits my skill set extremely well.
It's... My hope is that I can fill whatever role is asked of me by my next team, which will hopefully result in our team winning games. I want to be a part of the reason an NBA team becomes a championship organization.
The NBA draft combine will be in Chicago in May and the draft will be in New York in June.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
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