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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking each superstar among the NBA’s best

By Simon Brady

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: (L-R) Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving of Team LeBron attend the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: (L-R) Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving of Team LeBron attend the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Anthony Davis: 11th

This ranking is truly a testament to the absurd abundance of rising, young elite talent. Even for Anthony Davis, a consensus top five player league-wide for years prior to this past one, just one down year can knock you out of the top 10 altogether.

I considered putting Davis even a few spots lower but the guys right behind him are still very raw and need proof of sustained success. Unlike Kawhi, Giannis, Steph, Harden, Jokic, Luka, Embiid, and Lillard, taking spots 3-10 ahead of Davis.

On top of a huge dip in production and engagement during last year’s season, the image you see above is in large part why he’s fallen to 11. He was Anthony ‘Street Clothes’ Davis yet again this year right up until the very end with the groin injury that ultimately slammed the door shut on that Phoenix playoff series and the Lakers season.

Now entering this season as the main young gun, one of the only key core guys under 30 years old, there’s immense pressure on Davis to both perform and be available this upcoming season. If AD is his dominant self on both ends, the Lakers are clear cut west favorites and Davis will ascend back up toward the top five.

If not and it’s more of the same from this past year, it’ll be a wide wide open race once again and the Lakers immediate future is worrisome.

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