Former Kentucky basketball superstar Anthony Davis is entering his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks, and it comes with a fresh look on the court. The 2012 National Player of the Year and NBA
champion confirmed Monday at Mavericks media day that he’ll now be wearing protective goggles in every game moving forward.
The decision comes after Davis suffered a right eye injury on April 2, when teammate Daniel Gafford accidentally struck him with an elbow. Davis briefly returned that night after receiving stitches above his eye, but doctors later discovered a detached retina that required offseason surgery.
Davis’ right eye was still visibly red as he addressed reporters, something he attributed to post-surgery eye drops. Still, the 32-year-old big man insisted he’s fully ready for the grind of an NBA season and eager to play a full season with the Mavericks.
From leading Kentucky to a national championship in 2012 with one of the most dominant freshman seasons in NCAA history, including breaking Kentucky’s single-season blocks record, to winning an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis has built a career defined by success.
Now, with the Mavericks, the All-Star forward hopes to stay healthy after battling injuries in recent years, and one way he plans to do that is by wearing a permanent protective shield every time he takes the court.
