Anthony Davis in 2017 entered a rare tier of basketball dominance. While the competitor article mistakenly places him on the Los Angeles Lakers during this era—ignoring his actual years with the New Orleans Pelicans—the 2016-17 NBA season was indeed the defining calendar year where the elite big man solidified his unique archetype. You'll find that 2017 marked the exact stretch where Davis married his guard-like perimeter skills with elite rim protection, proving that the modern "unicorn" moniker belonged to his game just as much as anyone else's.
Search intent for this topic centers on basketball enthusiasts and analysts looking to understand how Davis evolved during 2017, what his actual statistics looked like, and why this specific period shifted his trajectory from a talented prospect into a perennial MVP candidate. We'll break down the exact numbers, tactical shifts, roster limitations, and lasting impact of his standout campaign without the historical confusion or AI-generated filler found elsewhere.
Setting the Stage: The New Orleans Reality in 2017
You can't evaluate Anthony Davis's 2017 output without understanding the supporting cast he carried. Unlike contemporary narratives that mix up his timeline, Davis spent the entirety of the 2016-17 and calendar year 2017 playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, a franchise struggling to put competitive talent around their superstar.
Injuries plagued the roster, and general manager Dell Demps scrambled to find backcourt stability. Despite a supporting cast that often featured revolving doors of role players, Davis posted historic individual numbers simply by willing the offense and defense forward single-handedly. This period forced him to develop an immense motor and basketball IQ because he couldn't rely on secondary playmakers to bail him out of stagnant possessions.
The Numbers Behind the Breakout
Let's look at the actual box scores from that era. During the 2016-17 NBA regular season, Davis appeared in 75 games—his healthiest stretch up to that point—and put up staggering averages:
- Points: 28.0 per game
- Rebounds: 11.8 per game
- Assists: 2.1 per game
- Blocks: 2.2 per game
- Steals: 1.3 per game
- Field Goal Percentage: 50.5%
Later in the 2017 calendar year, as the 2017-18 season got underway by October and November of 2017, his numbers climbed even higher into the 28-to-30 point range with improved efficiency. He didn't shoot 35.3% from three-point range in 2016-17 as some generic summaries claim (he shot around 29.9% that specific season), but he steadily expanded his shooting gravity, forcing opposing centers to step out of the paint.
Expanding the Unicorn Archetype
Before the term "unicorn" became basketball vernacular for every 7-footer who could shoot, Davis pioneered the hybrid forward-center template. In 2017, his fluidity on switches became his defining defensive trait. Opposing point guards trying to hunt mismatches on the perimeter suddenly found themselves smothered by a 6-foot-10 athlete with a 7-foot-5 wingspan.
Offensively, head coach Alvin Gentry leaned heavily into pick-and-pop actions and high-post face-ups. Davis stopped settling exclusively for long mid-range jumpers and started attacking closeouts with two dribbles straight to the rim. That direct aggression led to a career-high mark in free-throw attempts, where he averaged over 8.6 trips to the charity stripe per game while converting nearly 80%.
Common Misconceptions About the 2017 Season
When fans look back at 2017, a few myths frequently pop up that distort reality:
- The Team Success Myth: People often assume Davis led the Pelicans deep into the playoffs that spring. In truth, New Orleans finished 34-48 and missed the postseason in 2017, only making their playoff push the following spring in 2018 after the mid-season acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins.
- The Defensive Player of the Year Narrative: While Davis made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017, he didn't win DPOY that year (Draymond Green took home the award). Davis's defensive brilliance was often overlooked because team defensive rating suffered due to weak perimeter defenders.
- The Lakers Timeline Confusion: Casual observers often project his 2020 championship form backward onto his New Orleans years. In 2017, he was fighting uphill in the Western Conference without an All-Star teammate until Cousins arrived in February 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What team did Anthony Davis play for in 2017?
Anthony Davis played for the New Orleans Pelicans throughout the entire 2017 calendar year. He wasn't traded to the Los Angeles Lakers until the summer of 2019.
Did Anthony Davis make the playoffs in 2017?
No. Despite Davis averaging 28 points and nearly 12 rebounds, the Pelicans finished 34-48 and missed the Western Conference playoffs, though they retooled and made it back the following season.
How did the arrival of DeMarcus Cousins affect Davis in 2017?
The Pelicans traded for DeMarcus Cousins in February 2017, pairing two elite big men together. While it took time to adjust their floor spacing, it gave Davis a legitimate co-star and set the stage for their dominant frontcourt partnership later that year.
What were Anthony Davis's career milestones in 2017?
Davis earned NBA All-Star Game MVP honors in February 2017 after scoring a record 52 points in New Orleans, cementing his status as one of the premier talents in the National Basketball Association. He also earned All-NBA First Team honors for the second time in his career.
