Anthony Davis (Photo : Reuters/Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)
New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says that power forward Anthony Davis' speed and quickness have not been compromised when he bulked up from his 220-pound rookie frame to his current 253 pounds.
Davis added 15 pounds this summer working out while maintaining 10 percent body fat by working out with the team's strength and conditioning coach Jason Summerlin.
Speed and quickness as a power forward have two of his biggest assets that made him a formidable force since he entered the league 2012.
It is more important for hin to retain those traits, esecially in the upcoming season when Gentry plans to have the Pelicans play at a much faster pace.
However, since he also gets pushed around a lot around the post, Davis decided to add muscle.
Gentry said that having a strong base and not get pushed around is important, but he's thrilled to note that he retained his usual speed and quickness, according to
The Times-Picayne.
Gentry is thrilled to see what's in store for the budding MVP candidate with the extra weight and noted that being young, a lot of changes may still be expected in his body in the next three to four years. In fact, in Sports Illustrated Top 10 ranking of NBA players, Davis fell into the third spot behind No.1 Lebon James and runner up Kevin Durant.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the ESPN Summer Forecast panel projected him to finish second in MVP voting behind Lebron James.
Sports Illustrated's Rob Mahoney didn't really see Davis being inferior to Durant, but was giving Durant the benefit of the doubt as the No. 2 player.
The great thing about this is that Davis is just 22 and has basically changed the perception that Kevin Durant in the near future would certainly be the clear cut best basketball player in the world.
Davis finished fifth in MVP voting in 2014-2015.
