In Photos: Anthony Davis attends ex-Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy's camp at Mamba Sports Academy
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis was spotted working out at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California on Friday. He was attending a camp run by former Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy. Anthony Davis is busy making full use of his offseason, putting his skills on display during the camp.
Handy, lauded as a player development wizard, spent many years with the Lakers where he played a major role in helping upper-echelon talents – including current players like LeBron James and the late great Kobe Bryant – to take their games to new heights. Now it seems Davis is trying to capture some of that magic himself.
Handy left the Lakers in 2024 after spending over five seasons (2019-2024) as an assistant coach, and he has since continued to train players around the league. "AD" was also seen talking and taking pictures with young fans at the event.
Seeing Davis working with Handy has NBA fans justifiably excited. Handy and Davis reportedly developed a strong connection during their time together in Los Angeles. Fans will hope these offseason sessions with Phil Handy are enough to maximize Davis' potential as a Laker and get them back into contention for another NBA championship next season.
Anthony Davis speculates on Bronny James' potential instant impact
Anthony Davis offered some interesting insights on LeBron James' son, Bronny, who was recently drafted No. 55 overall in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft by the Lakers. Although the pick was in line with many expectations, there are many open questions about how much Bronny can help LeBron right away with the Purple and Gold jersey.
Davis weighed in on Bronny's potential. Acknowledging the young James' defensive skills, court vision and playmaking abilities, Davis said (via ESPN):
"He's very good defensively. He can read the floor very well. I think he's a really good playmaker. I saw him work out a couple times besides the [Klutch Sports] pro day and working with a big...
"But one thing about Bronny, from what I've seen and what I heard, he wants to create his own path and he doesn't want to be – even though he's LeBron James' son, he don't want be seen as that. And I think having that mindset and trying to create his own path is going to work out for him. ... Who knows, he might come in and be ready to play for us," Davis added.
That, coupled with a strong work ethic and an extremely independent mindset seems like it would be the perfect combo for success. Bronny might not be a star right away coming out of the draft, but his drive should allow him to make an impact in the NBA sooner rather than later.