In a season marred by Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks, a shining light has been the gems uncovered in Ryan Rollins and Pete Nance. Next on that conveyor belt is the Wisconsin Herd's Johnny Davis, with the former first-round pick having his third straight double-double and showing exactly why the team traded for him.
Davis continues building a case to be back in the NBA
Davis caught the eye against the Motor City Cruise with his career-high 28-point performance. Well, he just went one better. He put up 29 points against the Raptors 905 with 12 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists, shooting 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) from the field and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from deep. It was another stellar performance from the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
What stands out from his performances are the rebounds. 17, 10, and then 12 for a 6-foot-4 guard is absolutely brilliant. Alongside Mark Sears, the two have formed a strong partnership that has seen both of them thrive over the last three games. Davis has been playing as a small forward recently and has held his own against bigger wings, something the Bucks have struggled with in the NBA.
For the season, he is now averaging 15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 steals on shooting splits of .441/.337/.727. He is making it known that he has what he takes to be back in the NBA. His tenacity and drive have set the tempo for his performances, and the Wisconsinite is certainly garnering attention.
Blueprint has been set for Davis
After two seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers, Davis was drafted by the Washington Wizards and things didn't go smoothly. However, he is still just 24, and there is still plenty of potential to be unearthed, with a couple of current Bucks players setting the blueprint.
Rollins and Nance have both shown their ability to make the step up from two-way players to key rotation pieces with the Bucks. Nance earned a multi-year deal recently, having spent the season coming off the bench and being impactful when needed. The Bucks are in a spot moving forward where Davis could be another player to benefit from another opportunity in the league, similar to Rollins and Nance.
His time with the Herd has allowed him to continue developing his skills without the expectation and pressure of an NBA team on a former 10th overall pick. Milwaukee recently waived Cam Thomas, and Gary Trent Jr. has been poor this season, opening the door for Davis to be given a real shot at making the team next season. His shooting is solid, and his hustle on both sides of the ball is there for all to see, something the Milwaukee Bucks have needed desperately this season.
The Bucks should absolutely plan on keeping him around in the summer, whether that be him playing on their Summer League team or being invited to training camp. The team has to keep looking for these hidden gems, and Davis is another in their hands that deserves another opportunity.