Anthony Davis says he’s the best basketball player in the world, and wants to be remembered as a champion

Heading into the 2019-20 season, there is an open question as to who the best player in the NBA is.

Kawhi Leonard holds a claim to the crown after leading the Toronto Raptors to their first title in franchise history. Kevin Durant made his case before injuring his achilles by simply being the most unstoppable offensive force in the game. And LeBron James was probably the leader in the clubhouse before a disastrous Lakers campaign led to him missing the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.

The Lakers also have one more player who wants to throw his hat into the ring: Anthony Davis. In an interview with Sports Illustrated to promote NBA 2K, Davis explained why he thinks he’s the best player in the game:

“I’m the best in the world. I think I do a lot of things that a lot of players can’t do as far as playing a complete game. I can play on the block, play on the perimeter, play defense on both ends, switch 1-5, guard, score the basketball. I want to be the most dominant player in the game, and I’m going to continue to do that.

Obviously you have players like Kawhi, KD, LeBron, Steph all of those guys who are the same way. They’re great players, talented players, Hall of Famers, and that’s what makes our game fun. Everyone wants to be the best in the league. Everyone wants to be the most dominant, and that’s when our competitive edge comes out on the floor and makes the game so fun to watch.”

The one obvious characteristic that separates Davis from the other players on this list, and the reason why he hasn’t yet been seriously considered as the best in the NBA, is that Davis hasn’t won a title. The four players Davis mentioned have all won at least two championships and advanced to the Finals additional times, while Davis has only ever won one playoff series. The best way to achieving historical greatness is by winning titles, and Davis says that’s what he wants his legacy to be:

“I want to be a champion. I want to be a guy who works hard and loves to play the game of basketball, a guy that loves being in the community and helping the kids out, giving back. Those are the most important thing for me as far as legacy, and that’s what I want my legacy to be.”

The Lakers hope that Davis can achieve that part of his legacy in Los Angeles. So much of the Lakers’ future and Davis’ destiny relies upon Davis bringing another championship to this organization. If he does, he will certainly belong in the conversation for the best player in the league.

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