If you’ve watched basketball over the last decade, you know the deal with Anthony Davis. He’s the guy who looks like a created player in a video game until he’s suddenly heading to the locker room with a grimace. But honestly, looking at anthony davis stats basketball fans usually miss the forest for the trees. Most people focus on the "Street Clothes" meme or the missed games, but when you actually peel back the box scores from this 2025-26 season—and his career as a whole—the numbers tell a story of a guy who is basically a defensive ecosystem by himself.
Currently, Davis is suiting up for the Dallas Mavericks after that massive trade, and the shift in scenery has changed his statistical profile in ways nobody really expected. We’re seeing a 32-year-old AD who has traded some of his raw scoring volume for a type of efficiency and rebounding dominance that keeps Dallas afloat.
The Reality of Anthony Davis Stats Basketball Today
Let’s get the raw numbers out of the way first. Through the first 20 games of the 2025-26 season, Anthony Davis is averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
Wait.
Those aren't the 28-point-per-game numbers he was putting up in New Orleans or during that 2020 bubble run with the Lakers. Does that mean he's washed? Not even close. You've got to look at how he’s getting those buckets. He's shooting about 50.6% from the field, and interestingly, his free-throw shooting has taken a slight dip to around 72.8%.
But here is the kicker: his defensive impact is still off the charts. Even if the blocks are "only" at 1.7 (down from his career average of 2.3), his defensive rating remains elite. Players are shooting nearly 8% worse when he’s the primary defender at the rim. That’s a stat that doesn't always show up in the morning highlights, but it's the reason he’s still a +1.99 in plus-minus impact for his career.
A Career Built on Defensive Gravity
When we talk about anthony davis stats basketball enthusiasts usually bring up the 2017-18 season. That was peak AD. 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.6 blocks. It’s hard to live up to that forever.
- The Rebounding Anchor: He’s currently pulling down 11.1 boards a night.
- The Perimeter Problem: He is one of the few 6'10" guys who can actually switch onto a guard like Ja Morant and not get totally cooked.
- The Scoring Versatility: He’s still taking about 16.7 shots a game, but he's moved away from the three-pointer, hitting only 27% of them this year.
Honestly, the "three-point shooting AD" was always a bit of a myth. Aside from that one magical month in the Orlando bubble where he looked like Kevin Durant, he’s basically been a 30% shooter from deep. The fact that he’s realized this and is taking fewer than two triples a game now is actually a good thing for his efficiency.
Why the "Availability" Narrative is Only Half True
You can't discuss AD without talking about the games played. It’s the elephant in the room. In 2020-21, he only played 36 games. In 2021-22, it was 40. But look at 2023-24—he played 76 games! That was a massive middle finger to the critics.
This year with the Mavs, he’s already missed a few games in January with that nagging foot issue, but when he’s on the floor, the Mavericks' win percentage jumps by nearly 15%. That is the "Davis Effect." You’re not just paying for a player; you’re paying for a defensive system.
Advanced Metrics That Actually Matter
If you’re a stats nerd, you’ve probably seen his PER (Player Efficiency Rating). For his career, it sits at a staggering 26.7. To put that in perspective, anything over 25 is considered "All-Time Great" territory. He’s currently sitting in the top 50 all-time for PER.
His True Shooting Percentage ($TS%$) usually hovers around 58-60%, which is incredible for a guy who takes as many mid-range jumpers as he does. He isn't just a dunker. He has a soft touch that most centers would kill for.
"He’s the only player in history who can go 2-of-12 from the floor and still be the most impactful player on the court because of what he does to the opponent's psyche in the paint." — An anonymous Western Conference scout once said, and honestly, they were right.
Comparing the New Orleans AD vs. Dallas AD
The evolution of anthony davis stats basketball fans see today is pretty wild when you compare it to his Pelicans days. Back then, he was a transition monster. He ran the floor like a gazelle.
Now? He’s more of a "Short Roll" playmaker. He’s averaging 2.8 assists, which is actually higher than his career average of 2.6. He’s seeing the floor better. He’s passing out of double teams instead of trying to shoot through three defenders. It’s a "grown man" version of basketball.
- Pels Era: High volume, high speed, individual brilliance.
- Lakers Era: Defensive peak, championship pedigree, inconsistent health.
- Mavs Era: Tactical rebounding, high-post playmaking, veteran leadership.
The Misconception of the "Soft" Label
There’s this weird idea that because Davis gets hurt, he’s "soft." The stats don't back that up. You don't average 3.1 offensive rebounds per game (his current 2025-26 stat) by being soft. You don't lead the league in blocks three different times by avoiding contact.
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Davis actually thrives in the "dirty" areas of the court. His "and-one" frequency is consistently in the 75th percentile for bigs. He takes hits. He just happens to have a frame that seems to absorb those hits poorly over an 82-game stretch.
What Should You Watch For Next?
If you're tracking his stats for fantasy or just because you're a fan, keep an eye on his Free Throw Attempts (FTA). When AD is aggressive, he gets to the line 7 or 8 times a game. When he's settling for jumpers, that number drops to 3 or 4.
Right now, he’s sitting at about 4.0 FTA per game. If the Mavs want to make a real run in the playoffs, they need that number closer to 6.0. It's the "Aggression Barometer."
Actionable Insights for Basketball Fans
If you're trying to evaluate Davis's impact beyond the box score, here is how you should actually look at the data:
- Watch the "Deflected Passes" stat: AD leads many bigs in this because of his 7'6" wingspan. It’s a better indicator of his mobility than just raw blocks.
- Check the On/Off splits: Don't just look at his points. Look at how many points the opponent scores when he sits. It’s usually a bloodbath for his team.
- Ignore the 3PT%: It's a distraction. His value is in the "Dunk Zone" and the 15-foot face-up.
- Monitor the minutes: He’s currently at 31.3 minutes per game. This is a deliberate "save him for April" strategy by the coaching staff.
The story of Anthony Davis isn't finished. Whether he's in LA, Dallas, or anywhere else, the anthony davis stats basketball world tracks will always be a mix of "What if?" and "Oh my god, did you see that?" He remains the ultimate "unicorn" of the previous decade who is still finding ways to be relevant in a league that is getting faster and smaller every single day.
To get a true sense of his standing, compare his Win Shares per 48 minutes against other modern bigs like Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic. You'll find that while he might not have the MVP hardware of those two, his defensive win shares often keep him in the same tier of total winning impact.
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Check the latest injury reports before every game, especially during back-to-backs. Since the 2025 trade, the Mavericks have been extremely cautious, often resting him on the second night of back-to-back sets to preserve his high-impact defensive stats for the postseason.