John Calipari on Anthony Davis: 'I would like him to be the center of attention'

John Calipari wants Anthony Davis to receive the attention he deserves. In a conversation with Jim Rome, the newly-hired Arkansas head coach raved about his former player’s NBA career and his hopes for Davis’ future.

“Forget about all the talking heads and all the other stuff. You talk about the players. They’re gonna say he’s one of the top players in the NBA,” Calipari said. “He is an unbelievable teammate, who will step back so others can step up.

“He did it for me when I coached him when he was at Kentucky. He stepped back so other guys could step up—you ready for this—until it was time to win the national title. Then, he went on a tear, and it was his show.”

In Davis’ lone season at Kentucky, he made enough memories with Calipari to last a lifetime. The 6-foot-10 standout averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 62.3% from the field.

Propelled forward by Davis’ excellent play, Kentucky claimed the program’s eighth national title. For his efforts, Davis was named the Naismith Player of the Year, Kentucky’s first and the SEC’s first in 42 years. He was also an All-American and the 2012 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Davis didn’t slow down the NBA, immediately making an impact for the NBA Pelicans. In 2019, Davis joined the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won an NBA championship only one year later with Lebron James.

John Calipari hopeful for Anthony Davis to take leap

With James’ time coming to an end in the NBA, Calipari would like to see Davis step into the limelight for the Lakers.

“I would like him to be the center of attention because I think he’s a future hall-of-famer,” Calipari said. “All that he’s done. When he was with the pelicans, he led them to the playoffs and that wasn’t enough for him. He wants to win championships.

“The last game when [the Lakers] are done, he not a happy camper. You can’t find him. He goes undercover for a while to recover. But no, I’m proud of him proud of what he’s become. [He’s] not forgotten his roots.”

In the 2023-24 season, Davis averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 55.6% from the floor. Despite Davis’ valiant efforts, the Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.