The world looked different in 2020. Barely any people in the streets because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this also led to empty arenas and a Bubble finals that the Los Angeles Lakers took home. For Anthony Davis, winning a title in his first season with the Purple and Gold felt ethereal. Until reality settled in.
The 2019-20 season abruptly halted due to COVID, forcing players into the unfamiliar bubble environment. With fewer games than expected and no clear idea of how competition would unfold, there was uncertainty about performance and outcomes as the league adapted to a completely new and unpredictable situation.
Davis shared with Draymond Green, “We’re playing and go through the whole run, and we win, and at that moment I feel like I’ve accomplished everything, right? I accomplished why did I come to LA to win a championship. My first year, I get it done, right? I’m in a corner, sitting on a little bench thing, wherever the thing is in front of the bench.”
He continued, “I’m crying, and I’m just sitting there soaking it all in like, damn, this sh– really happened. Like, I’m really an NBA champion.” He enjoyed the moment with his family in the locker room. Davis recalled returning to Los Angeles with the trophy, feeling proud yet emotional as he cherished the achievement and shared it with loved ones.
Champions get confetti and champagne waiting in the locker room. You get parades. Fans crowd the streets just to see their team holding the glittering trophy. However, this time it wasn’t going to be that way for the Los Angeles Lakers.
“But we knew that we wasn’t having a parade. And that’s the one thing that I missed the most. We couldn’t get the full experience of winning a championship when you get the parade, the fans come out, you’re on the stage, and you get to say a speech like you’re drunk, you’re having fun, whatever it is. And to this day, I think about that,” Anthony Davis shared.
“Like, man, did I really win a championship? And you hear the noise, which to me is probably the hardest championship to ever accomplish.” Anthony Davis knows he’s a champion, but the missing parade and fan celebration make it feel incomplete.
That lack of a full experience still drives him. Therefore, he’s hungry to compete again, chase another title, and truly live every moment—especially the journey and the celebration.
Anthony Davis wants to win with the Washington Wizards
When the Dallas Mavericks moved AD to the Washington Wizards, the choice of team surprised many. Because, let’s face it, a team with barely 31.7% winning percentage in the last five years cannot be the next landing spot for an already NBA champ. But since his trade, Anthony Davis noticed a lot about the organization.
“They can play hard. They are not afraid of the moment; they are not scared. These guys can really hoop…When I talk to the GM, when I talk to the owner, when I talk to the president, I’m always going to be about winning, right? No matter what, I want to win. And if that’s here, then that’s here,” Anthony Davis stated.
A title without a celebration still burns inside Anthony Davis. The bubble gave him a ring, yet it left a void he cannot ignore. However, that absence now fuels his edge. He sees promise in Washington and embraces the grind. Therefore, the mission is clear. Win again, feel it fully, and claim the moment he never truly had.
