Pro Badgers: Johnny Davis Coming Alive for the Washington Wizards

Former Badgers star Johnny Davis is hitting his stride in the NBA. After a rocky road at the beginning of the year, Davis has come on strong as the regular season draws to a close.

Here’s a look at Davis’ career thus far and his recent hot streak.

Former Badgers star Johnny Davis has a rocky start

Davis, who was selected tenth overall by the Washington Wizards, got out to a shaky start in his pro career. The Wisconsin native struggled to catch up to the NBA pace of play and was assigned to Washington’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. 

In the G League, Davis showed flashes of what he could be at the NBA level. Davis would appear in 18 games and averaged 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. The highlight of his G League stint was a 25-point showing where he also notched four rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Shortly after his career night, Davis returned to the NBA. Since his return, the former Badgers star is coming on strong for the Wizards.

Johnny Davis is starting to heat up

Davis has earned three starts in the past three games and has certainly impressed.

Against the New York Knicks, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard logged 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Davis hit six of his 11 shot attempts, including two three-point makes.

Davis impressed in his first career start, but his next two performances showed that he belonged at the NBA level.

The Wisconsin native earned his second career start against the Milwaukee Bucks. Johnny was remarkable against his home-state team, as he notched 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. A poster dunk on Bucks guard Jrue Holiday highlighted his performance and cemented his name as an NBA-level guard.

JOHNNY DAVIS JUST DID THIS TO JRUE HOLIDAY!!! 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/dvThELKcOy

— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) April 4, 2023

Following that, Davis logged 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals against the Atlanta Hawks. He joined elite company after that performance, as he is the first rookie since Lamar Odom to record back-to-back games of 20+ points, 3+ assists, 2+ steals, and 2+ blocks. 

After his string of excellent performances, Davis is starting to return to his UW form. He’s finishing around the rim with ease, beginning to find his midrange shot, and playing strong defense. If he keeps it up, he’ll likely be a mainstay in Washington’s second unit as he looks to climb to a starting role.

Davis is only getting started, and his improvements are a welcome sight for Washington and Wisconsin Badgers fans.