“In a recent interview with Mavericks TV, Anthony Davis reflects on his journey to Dallas, his connection with LeBron James, and the meaningful story behind his jersey number.”
More than a month has passed since the Lakers shocked the NBA by trading Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic.
This move ended Davis’ five-year partnership with LeBron James—a duo that brought the Lakers a championship in 2020 but struggled to maintain dominance due to injuries.
A New Chapter for Davis in Dallas
In 2025, Davis is starting fresh with the Mavericks. His debut showed promise, but an adductor strain sidelined him, frustrating fans—especially with Doncic thriving in Los Angeles.
With Dallas struggling in the playoff race and injuries piling up, the pressure is on Davis to step up. Despite doubts about the trade, he remains confident in his impact.
“I know the kind of player I am,” Davis told Mavericks TV. “I’m one of the top 75 players ever. I just want Dallas fans to know—I’ve got you. I’m here now. I know you lost a superstar in Luka, but you also gained one in me.”
Winning over fans may take time, but if he stays healthy and delivers, Davis’ tenure in Dallas could be defined by success rather than controversy.
Davis Turned Down LeBron’s No. 23 Jersey Twice
When he first joined the Lakers in 2019, James offered to give up his legendary No. 23 jersey—the same number Davis wore with the New Orleans Pelicans.
However, Davis declined.
“When I got to LA, Bron wanted to give me 23, but I told him, ‘I don’t want to take your number,'” Davis recalled.
James made the same offer the following year after switching to No. 6, but once again, Davis chose to stick with his new number.
“The second year, when he changed to 6, he asked if I wanted 23,” Davis said.
“I told him, ‘Actually, I want to stick with 3. I want to go back to where it all began.'”
Davis’ Deep Connection to No. 3
Davis’ love for the number 3 started when he first began playing basketball.
“I’ve always worn number 3 since I started playing,” he said.
As a high school freshman, he wanted No. 3, but a senior already had it.
“I asked him, ‘Can I get that number?’ He said, ‘You’ll take whatever jersey comes out of this bag.’ He pulled one out and tossed it to me—it was 23. So I thought, ‘Alright, I guess I’m 23 now.’”
A big LeBron James fan growing up, Davis stuck with 23 until he joined the Lakers, where LeBron was already wearing it. Due to Nike’s mass production of James’ jerseys, the league denied a number change. Forced to pick a new number, Davis decided to return to his roots.
“I thought, ‘I’ll go back to my original number. I’ll go back to 3.’”
When he arrived in Dallas, he faced the same choice—No. 3 or 23.
“I actually went to a video game, changed to 23 to see how it looked, then switched to 3,” Davis shared. In the end, he stuck with No. 3, the number that started it all.
