Los Angeles Lakers: 3 bold predictions for Anthony Davis in 2021
By Jason Reed
![LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers wears a Kobe Bryant patch on his jacket during warm ups against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 24, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers wears a Kobe Bryant patch on his jacket during warm ups against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 24, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0f535f0202f9f1229f94115a7d5a4e29db7cf316295e1e129ec9089a7dd2d86e.jpg)
2. Anthony Davis joins exclusive company with All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team nods
Thus far in his career, Anthony Davis has been voted to the All-NBA First Team four times and the All-Defensive First Team twice. Fun fact about Davis: he has actually never been voted to the All-NBA Second or Third Team. When he makes an All-NBA team, it is the First Team.
That is going to continue to be the case this season as Davis is going to average the numbers outlined above and is going to make the All-NBA First Team for the second year in a row. Not only that, his 2.5 blocks per game and overall solid defense is going to give him a back-to-back All-Defensive First Team nod as well.
AD was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award last season and there is no reason, barring injury, to expect him to not at least make the All-Defensive First Team. He is not going to simply fall off and not be one of the five best defensive players.
This will give him his five All-NBA First Team and three All-Defensive First Team nods, putting him in exclusive company. There have only been 10 players in NBA history that have that five All-NBA First Team and three All-Defensive First Team nods.
Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Karl Malone have done it alongside current teammate LeBron James, current assistant coach Jason Kidd, former teammate Dwight Howard and Laker legends Kobe Bryant, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
That is a pretty exclusive list of players and are some of the greatest players of all-time. At his current pace, if AD can keep it up, he might find his way into the top-15 all-time discussion.