"He just changes the game" - Paul Pierce on why Anthony Davis is "the most important player" for Team USA

While various players have taken turns leading Team USA on offense, Anthony Davis has consistently demonstrated a two-way presence, excelling in rebounding, scoring, and shot-blocking. Despite not being a regular starter, AD has made a significant impact, seamlessly integrating with different units.

This versatility has prompted Paul Pierce to assert that while LeBron James may be the "most valuable player" for coach Steve Kerr, Davis is arguably the "most important" contributor to the team's success.

Pierce praises AD

In the two games Team USA has played so far in the 2024 Patis Olympics, Davis has averaged 19.0 minutes while leading the team in rebounds. Against South Sudan, he recorded seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, one steal, and eight points. In the game against Serbia, the 6'10" forward contributed eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and seven points. Notably, he shot a combined 53.6% from the field in both those contests.

Highlighting this on an episode of Undisputed, "The Truth" praised Davis' adaptability and described him as the quintessential "utility player" capable of complementing every player effectively.

"To me, the most important player in all of this has to be Anthony Davis. I feel like he's the backbone of the defense. Offensively, you can go to a different guy every night. But I feel like Anthony Davis changes the game every time he starts, comes off the bench, or plays," Paul said. " You can see a major difference in the interior when guys get to the basket. I mean, he just doesn't allow it. He doesn't need the ball. He fits perfectly with the starting unit…. He is a utility guy."

"The Truth" isn't the only one

Pierce is not alone in his praise of Davis. Colin Cowherd has also acknowledged Davis' hard work and dubbed him the second-best big man in basketball, second only to Nikola Jokic , especially given Joel Embiid's struggles for Team USA thus far.

So, while AD has been criticized for not taking that next step after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2020 alongside LeBron, his run in Paris, assuming he continues displaying the same level of play, could help him change the narrative about himself. So far, he's on the right track.

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