Lakers' Anthony Davis Said 'I Don't Want No Smoke' in Pelicans Locker Room
November 28, 2019
After dropping 41 points in his first game against his former team Wednesday night, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis made a visit to the New Orleans Pelicans locker room upon being invited by former coach Alvin Gentry.
"I don't want no smoke," Davis said as he went into the locker room after initially being "reluctant" to do so, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
He told reporters he holds no ill will toward the Pelicans:
Kyle Goon @kylegoonAnthony Davis talked about going to the Pelicans locker room postgame, where he got caught up with old teammates. "Everyone thinks I got a vendetta against New Orleans or something like that. Me and everybody is cool. ... I'm in a happy place, they're in a happy place." https://t.co/q0Jma6bXjm
Davis spent seven years in New Orleans, and Wednesday marked his first trip to the Smoothie King Center as a visiting player. The Pelicans traded the six-time All-Star to L.A. in July after he made it clear in January that he would not re-sign with New Orleans in free agency.
Pelicans fans showered Davis with boos throughout the night, from the time he made his way onto the court to pregame introductions to every time he touched the ball. Though he suffered an apparent elbow injury late in the third quarter, he returned in the fourth to help his team pull out a come-from-behind victory, coming up with a pivotal steal and game-sealing free throws.
His 41-point performance marked the most a player has scored in the first meeting against his former team:
Afterward, he spoke about the emotional night:
Some high-profile returns have featured tense moments on the court, but Davis was able to focus on the task at hand.
Lakers Have Proven They're Legit with Back-to-Back Sweep