Anthony Davis Has New, Increased Confidence Following Olympics

Although he didn’t play extensive minutes (averaging 4.3 points in seven games), New Orleans Hornets rookie Anthony Davis had an invaluable experience at the London Olympics. He practiced with, competed against and was mentored by the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the NBA’s elite. According to Davis himself, participating in the Olympics has transformed his mentality, making him a more focused, prepared, and confident player. Via NOLA.com: “‘Those guys on the Olympic team treated me like I belonged and it boosted my confidence. When I got in games, I felt more confidence. They talked to me and told me what to do, so it definitely was great,’ Davis said. Kobe Bryant gave him pointers on how to deal with the upcoming 82-game season and James embraced him, sharing his perspective on the game. ‘A lot of them shared their perspective on the game and the whole team took me under their wings and showed me the ropes,’ Davis said. Like with most rookies, however, the veterans put Davis through some hazing that including getting Gatorade and loading their bags on the bus. Taking it all in fun, Davis said he didn’t mind, even after he was on the receiving end of some ribbing when he couldn’t enter the game in the first half against Nigeria because he forgot to put on his jersey after pre-game warm-ups. The soft-spoken Davis said he’s not soaked in the magnitude of winning a gold medal yet, but admits the recognition he garnered has been tremendous. ‘It definitely has been different,’ the 6-foot-10 forward said. ‘But I’m going to be very focused in training camp and be ready to play hard.'”