Is Anthony Davis Still an Elite NBA Player? Analyzing His Recent Performance and Future Potential

When I first saw the question "Is Anthony Davis Still an Elite NBA Player?" pop up on my basketball forum, I immediately thought back to that quote from Poy Erram that's been stuck in my head. He said, "Nakita namin 'yung score, tambak na kami ng bente. Hindi na namin tinatakbo 'yung sistema namin. Dumating na sa point na one-on-one na." That moment when a team abandons its system and resorts to one-on-one basketball perfectly mirrors what we need to examine about Davis's current status. Let me walk you through how I analyze whether a player maintains elite status, using Davis as our case study.

First, I always start with the raw numbers because they don't lie, even if they don't tell the whole story. Last season, Davis averaged around 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Those are solid numbers, right? But here's where my personal method kicks in - I compare these to his peak years. Back in 2019-2020 during the championship run, he was putting up 26-27 points with better shooting percentages. The slight dip might not seem significant, but when you're talking about elite status, every percentage point matters. I've noticed he's taking more mid-range jumpers than before, which brings his efficiency down from the 58% true shooting he maintained during his Pelicans days to about 55% now.

Now let's talk about availability, which in my book is just as important as ability. Davis has missed approximately 88 games over the past three seasons due to various injuries. That's nearly a full season's worth of games! When I'm evaluating elite status, I always consider that the best ability is availability. Remember when we used to call him "Street Clothes" because he was always in casual wear on the bench? That nickname might have been harsh, but it highlights a real concern. An elite player needs to be on the court consistently to impact winning, and Davis's reliability has become questionable despite his undeniable talent when healthy.

The defensive end is where Davis still shines brightest in my opinion. His defensive rating of around 105 last season places him among the top big men in the league. His ability to switch onto guards and protect the rim is something I haven't seen since prime Kevin Garnett. But here's the catch - he can't anchor a defense from the treatment table. That Erram quote about abandoning the system resonates here - when Davis is out, the Lakers' defensive structure completely collapses, forcing others into one-on-one situations they can't win.

Looking forward, I'm cautiously optimistic about Davis maintaining borderline elite status. He's only 30, which for big men used to be the decline phase, but with modern sports science, he could have another 4-5 productive years. The Lakers need to manage his minutes better - maybe limit him to 32-34 minutes per game during the regular season rather than the 36 he was averaging before injuries. From my perspective, they should use him more as a roller in pick-and-roll situations where he's most effective rather than isolating him in the post.

So circling back to our original question "Is Anthony Davis Still an Elite NBA Player?" - my verdict is he's hovering right on that borderline. When he's on the court and engaged, absolutely. But the consistency issues and durability concerns have knocked him down just a notch from the unquestioned elite tier he occupied during the bubble championship run. That moment Erram described where teams abandon their system? That's what happens to the Lakers when Davis isn't available - they lose their defensive identity and resort to hero ball. For Davis to reclaim undisputed elite status, he needs to prove he can stay healthy and deliver night after night, not just in flashes of brilliance.