Blake Murphy: VanVleet on Davis not being in Rising Stars: “None of us have ever played in it, so what difference does it make? Welcome to the party.”
Terence Davis Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: F
Born: 05/16/97
Height: 6-4 / 1.93
Weight:201 lbs. / 91.2 kg.
Salary: $898,310
Born: 05/16/97
Height: 6-4 / 1.93
Weight:201 lbs. / 91.2 kg.
Salary: $898,310
It begs the question of why Davis hasn’t consistently run with big minutes, averaging 22.1 over the first seven games of this (and it’s so weird that we have to specify which) injury period and playing 13, 16 and eight the three games prior to this one. Nurse has built up more than enough benefit of the doubt at this point, turning in a half-season worthy of strong coach of the year consideration — to the extent that you can look past the occasional decision that seems disagreeable at first blush. Davis’ role was harder to look past than, say, not making offence-defence subs late, but Nurse has begun to establish a balance he likes between carrot and stick as a motivator. “With me, as you’ve seen already a few times this year, I’m gonna rattle your cage if you deserve to have it rattled,” Nurse said. “But I’m gonna put my arm around ya the next day and get on with it because I believe in the kid. It was only in his and our team’s best interest to do that, so we did that.”
Ryan Wolstat: Terence Davis said every coach he has had has called it like he sees it. Understands Nurse’s criticisms and says he will be better as a result. Appreciates the tough love approach.
Davis has gone from an uncertain future in the NBA to being part of the rotation for the reigning champs, playing 14.1 minutes per game off the bench. The 6-foot-4 Davis put up a career-high 19 points against Orlando on Nov. 20 and has scored in double-digits in four of his past six games. “I’m not sure I expected him to do all that,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse recently told reporters. “I’ve talked about [how] he can vault up and shoot the ball, I know that. He’s very athletic, I know that, too. I think he’s catching teams off guard a little bit. He’ll probably start hitting the scouting reports a little harder. But he’s been great the last couple of games. Hopefully we can keep getting him a bunch of minutes so he can gain some experience and keep on going.”
Toward the end of the draft, with reality sinking in, an emotional Davis addressed his family and friends with an impromptu speech. “I’m trembling. I’m not crying. But you can hear the shakiness in my voice,” Davis said. “That was the night I became a man. I said, ‘Hey family, this is a deal. A few teams offered me two-ways [contracts]. I turned them down. I think I am better than a two-way. All those guys that got drafted tonight, they are going to have to lace their shoes up just like I am in summer league. God is not done with my story. It’s not the end. It’s the beginning.’ My dad came and hugged me. My grandmother hugged me. It still touches me right now. But that is what I mean when I say I became a man. I really took it all in.”
