DeMarcus Cousins says Anthony Davis is probably the most talented 2-way player in NBA history

Peter Dewey
3 Min Read

Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins had some major praise for his former teammate and current Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis.

Cousins believes that Davis is the most talented two-way player ever, praising the Lakers star’s versatility on both ends.

“He’s probably the most talented two-way player to ever touch the floor,” Cousins said. “When he’s committed and when his mind is focused and in the right place – he’s, on any given night, going to be the best player on the floor on both ends. Just his versatility alone – we’ve praised his versatility since he stepped foot in the league. We know what he is on the defensive side of the ball.”

Cousins also mentioned Davis’ health, which has been an issue in recent seasons. The veteran center believes that a healthy Davis only allows him to showcase more of his elite talent.

The Lakers have certainly relied on Davis’ two-way ability all season long, but he has turned things up a notch in the playoffs.

In 10 playoff games, Davis is averaging a league best 3.7 blocks per game while also registering 1.5 steals per game. That activity on the defensive end has helped the Lakers get out to a 3-1 series lead on the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals.

Davis’ offense has also been huge for the Lakers, as the center is averaging 21.4 points and 14.0 rebounds (2.6 offensive rebounds) per game in the playoffs. He’s given the Lakers solid production, leading them in scoring on some nights in this playoff run.

Cousins and Davis spent time together with the New Orleans Pelicans, so the former No. 5 overall pick knows just how much the Lakers star does to impact the game.

Lakers fans have also seen Davis carry the team at times in a deep playoff run, as he played some of the best basketball of his career in the NBA’s Orlando, Fla. bubble when the Lakers won the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season.

After a slow start to this season, Los Angeles is in a prime position to compete for a title with it needing just one win to reach the Western Conference Finals.

If the Lakers do end up in the NBA Finals, Davis will almost certainly have a massive impact on their games to get there.

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Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.