Anthony Davis scores 34 in Wizards debut after nine months out
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The gist
Wizards forward Anthony Davis scored 34 points in his Washington debut, a 128-116 win over Milwaukee.
His return ends a nine-month layoff and gives the Wizards a proven star.
Background
Anthony Davis is a Washington Wizards forward/center, an NBA champion and 10-time All-Star who was the first pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Kentucky and previously played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. The Wizards acquired Trae Young and Davis last season hoping the duo would help them learn how to win, but Davis was injured and didn't play at all after being traded. He is finishing out the final guaranteed season of his three-year, $175.4 million contract.
How it unfolded
- Oct 8, 2026Davis plays for the Wizards in a preseason game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
- Oct 16, 2026Davis plays in another preseason game, against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.
- Oct 17, 2026Reports say Davis' injury, initially seen as a major one, is now healed ahead of his Wizards debut; BasketNews reports positive news on his eye injury.
- Oct 21, 2026In his Wizards regular-season debut and the team's season opener, Davis scores 34 points with 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block in 34 minutes as Washington beats Milwaukee 128-116. The Wizards shoot 63% in the second half, outscoring the Bucks 77-60 after trailing by eight in the third quarter.
- Oct 22, 2026AP and other outlets report Davis got an 'MVP' chant before the first quarter was over.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Davis said it had been nine months since he played a real game and that he had 'so much fun tonight' with 'a lot of emotion, a lot of energy.'
- Caution
- Davis stressed the opener is merely the first of 82 games and the team has much to improve.
- Public
- Wizards fans chanted 'MVP' at Davis before the first quarter was over, and he posted on Instagram that it 'felt good to be back on the floor.'
Still unverified
It is described as common knowledge around the NBA that Davis would like a contract extension or a new deal at or near a maximum salary; the Wizards are described as almost certainly reluctant to commit at that level to an older player who has played more than 62 games only once in the last eight seasons, with rumors expected before the Feb. 11 trade deadline and no guarantee he remains with Washington beyond then.