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Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23) watches during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Imago
Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23) watches during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Some exits in the NBA are never meant to be permanent; at least that’s what Anthony Davis thought before departing from the New Orleans Pelicans fold! Even though he pursued a championship elsewhere, the big man kept the door open as he quietly imagined a return later. However, that belief took a hit during his first game back, the moment he expected never arrived: an emotional tribute.
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Before winning his championship with the LA Lakers, Davis spent six seasons with the Pels, the only team so far to make him the centerpiece of its plans. He carried much of the offensive responsibility and delivered some of his best scoring years. In fact, AD has back-to-back seasons, averaging 28.0 ppg. Naturally, that first stint as the franchise cornerstone made his stay with the Pelicans unforgettable and special. But was the love reciprocated? Speaking of his transition out of the Pelicans, Anthony Davis shared a disheartening story on his latest appearance on the Draymond Green Show.
“You know what’s crazy? When I went back, I did not get a tribute, and that was, like, I—that was the final straw. Never got a tribute. I didn’t get a tribute going back to New Orleans. Which pissed me off.”
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Anthony Davis told Gayle Benson he would be open to returning to the Pelicans at the end of his career, until they didn’t give him a tribute video in his return to New Orleans.
“That was my final straw”
(via @DraymondShow) pic.twitter.com/2SV4ltXr59
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 8, 2026
That reaction carried extra weight because Anthony Davis had once imagined a very different ending to his New Orleans chapter. Before leaving, he recalled approaching Gayle Benson, the owner of the Pels.
“When I was going to her right before the deadline to ask for a trade, I told her, ‘Look, Miss B, I want to get out of here. You know, these are the reasons, whatever.’ Miss B was cool, Miss B still cool to this day, I told her, and I was like, ‘This might not be the end, though’.”
In his mind, the plan was simple. Come back later in his career and win a couple of championships for the franchise that drafted him. Unfortunately, when his return came without recognition, he thought otherwise.
“You know, I left that door open. And when I went back to that first game and got no tribute, I said, ‘Oh, that door is closed. ‘ There’s no way possible.”
What makes the Pelicans’ reaction even more striking is how it compares to the way other franchises have handled similar situations. Take Vince Carter in Toronto, for example.
After years of tension and plenty of booing from Raptors fans following his messy 2004 departure, Carter eventually got a heartfelt tribute video and a warm standing ovation when he came back with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2014.
The organization chose to celebrate what he meant to the franchise in its early years, and despite how ugly the exit had been, it gave everyone a sense of closure.
Something similar played out in Oklahoma City when Kevin Durant returned. First as a Golden State Warrior in 2017, then later with the Brooklyn Nets. Even after one of the most controversial departures in recent NBA history, the Thunder still rolled out video tributes and treated him with respect.
The crowd reactions were mixed, sure, but it never crossed the line into something mean-spirited.
What these situations have in common is that honoring former franchise cornerstones, even the ones who left on bad terms, has quietly become the norm around the league. That’s what makes the Pelicans’ decision so puzzling.
Anthony Davis spent six seasons as the face of that franchise. He had even spoken publicly about the possibility of returning one day. And yet, nothing. Whether it came down to lingering bitterness over the trade demand, some behind-the-scenes front-office tension, or just a plain oversight, the snub clearly stung.
More than that, it seems to have closed a door that Davis himself had once left open. With the Pelicans firmly behind him, Anthony Davis now has his attention set on his fresh start with the Wizards.
What’s in store for Anthony Davis at the Capital?
Even with the injury setback, Anthony Davis has maintained a noticeably upbeat mood. Recently, he launched his own prank show, Foul Play with Anthony Davis. In the meantime, recovering from the sidelines, the veteran big man has kept himself engaged with his current teammates at the Capital.
His move to the Wizards came at a time when his availability had become a growing concern, with only 20 games this season and 49 in the previous season. Yet, the early appearances of his new surroundings seem to have lifted his spirits.
Speaking of his new team, AD said, “From the outside looking in, Dray, people don’t understand; I didn’t understand. I was one of these guys, too. I was like, damn, Washington, like what? When you get here, you look at the facility, you look at the little details of it, the team, it’s not bad. I like the young guys. These motherf—–s can play.”
Above all, Davis will play alongside Trae Young, a master ball handler. The Wizards could expect a lot of alley-oops if they both keep themselves off injuries.
Written by
Edited by
Tanay Sahai