Anthony Davis spent his entire professional career transitioning between power forward and center, redefining how modern frontcourt players operate. Standing 6 feet 10 inches with a historic 7-foot-5 wingspan, his positional journey reflects the broader tactical shift of the NBA away from traditional two-big-man lineups toward versatile, space-oriented play.
Understanding this evolution requires looking beyond simple box scores. Throughout stints with the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, and later stops, Davis shifted his primary defensive assignments and offensive zones based on roster construction, coaching philosophies, and his own physical maturation.
The New Orleans Era: Power Forward Roots (2012–2016)
When the New Orleans Hornets drafted Davis first overall in 2012, he entered the league as a slender, hyper-mobile prospect who had spent his formative high school years as a guard before an unprecedented growth spurt. Early team builders paired him with traditional centers like Robin Lopez, Omer Asik, and Kendrick Perkins.
During these formative years, Davis played primarily as a power forward.
- Defensive Roaming: Playing the four allowed Davis to act as a weak-side rim protector rather than absorbing the physical pounding of opposing centers in the low post.
- Offensive Spreading: While his outside jumper was still developing, he operated out of high-post pick-and-rolls and mid-range isolations, leveraging his speed against heavier defenders.
- Workload Balance: Sharing the floor with a bruising center preserved his body during grueling 82-game regular seasons, though coaches frequently shifted him to the five during crunch time to maximize floor spacing.
By his third and fourth seasons, Davis led the league in blocked shots while earning All-NBA honors. However, the modern pace-and-space revolution was beginning to pressure traditional frontcourts.
Position Flexibility and Small-Ball Evolution (2016–2019)
As the NBA embraced smaller, faster lineups, New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry deployed Davis at center more frequently. This era marked a crucial tactical turning point in his career.
Playing center unlocked unprecedented offensive production for Davis. Without a clogging traditional center in the paint, driving lanes opened up, and his roll gravity in the pick-and-roll became nearly unguardable.
- The 59-Point Game: In February 2016, Davis erupted for 59 points and 20 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons, operating almost exclusively as an ultra-quick center whom Detroit's slower big men couldn't contain.
- Physical Toll: Guarding heavy centers like DeMarcus Cousins, Nikola Jokic, and Steven Adams nightly increased his physical wear and tear.
- Public Preference: Davis famously voiced a preference for playing power forward to preserve his health, a tension that heavily influenced front office decisions and his eventual trade request.
Despite his personal preference, the writing was on the wall: Davis possessed the defensive instincts and rebounding gravity of an elite modern center.
Championship Gold in Los Angeles (2019–2025)
When Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2019, head coach Frank Vogel initially tried to accommodate his desire to play power forward by starting JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard alongside him.
The compromise worked during the regular season, but the 2020 Orlando bubble playoffs changed everything.
- The Bubble Run: When playoff opponents shrunk their rotations, Vogel moved Davis to center full-time in a small-ball lineup featuring LeBron James at the four.
- Defensive Anchor: Playing center allowed Davis to switch onto perimeter guards on pick-and-rolls while still erasing shots at the rim, anchoring the Lakers to the league's best postseason defense en route to the 2020 NBA title.
- Perimeter Shooting Peak: During this postseason run, his jumper touched elite efficiency marks, making him an unguardable offensive threat from both the perimeter and the paint.
Subsequent seasons in Los Angeles brought injuries and shifting rosters, forcing Davis into an almost permanent center designation. The physical demands of holding down the paint alone tested his durability year after year.
Later Career and Tactical Consolidation (2025–Present)
As his career progressed into his veteran seasons with subsequent stops including Dallas and Washington, Davis fully embraced the center position as his permanent home.
By this stage, the traditional power forward position had largely vanished from competitive basketball, replaced by combo forwards and multi-faceted wings. Davis's role crystallized into that of a premier modern five: a defensive pillar who quarterbacks the backline, switches onto smaller players on the perimeter, and orchestrates offense from the elbows and the roll.
Common Misconceptions About Anthony Davis and His Position
Fans and analysts often misunderstand how positional designations work for elite modern big men. Several myths persist regarding how Davis has been utilized.
- The Myth That He Never Liked Playing Center: While Davis publicly stated early on that he preferred power forward to avoid the physical beating of banging with 270-pound centers, his greatest team success and individual offensive peaks have almost exclusively occurred when he plays the five.
- The Myth of the Pure Stretch Four: Analysts occasionally categorize Davis as a stretch four because of his smooth shooting stroke. In reality, his elite value stems from rim pressure, roll gravity, and paint dominance rather than high-volume perimeter shooting.
- The Positionless Basketball Reality: Labeling Davis as strictly a four or a five masks his true defensive versatility. Over his career, he has defended elite point guards on switches just as effectively as he has locked down traditional post scorers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Anthony Davis play power forward or center in college?
At the University of Kentucky, Davis played center in a traditional lineup under coach John Calipari. Because of his height and unmatched shot-blocking instincts, he anchored the paint defensively while operating as a high-flyer on offense.
Why did Anthony Davis prefer playing power forward?
During the first half of his career, Davis expressed a preference for power forward because it reduced the physical wear and tear of battling heavy, traditional centers in the post, allowing him to conserve energy for his offensive load and defensive roaming.
What position did Anthony Davis play when he won the 2020 NBA Championship?
While he started alongside a traditional center during the regular season, Davis played primarily as a center during the Lakers' championship run in the Orlando bubble, particularly in closing lineups where LeBron James played power forward.
How has Anthony Davis's shooting style changed his positional value?
Davis combines the mobility of a wing with the height of a center. His ability to finish lobs, attack closeouts, and hit occasional mid-range and perimeter jump shots prevents defenses from packing the paint, making him the ideal modern center for spread offenses.
