Star Wisconsin Badger guard Johnny Davis was selected by the Washington Wizards with the tenth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
During the 2021-22 NCAA basketball season, Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game — enough to garner 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year honors en route to a Big Ten regular season title for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was the first Badger to be selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft since Frank Kaminsky, who was drafted ninth overall in 2015.
"I am going to bring a defensive mindset," Davis told ESPN on Thursday. "You can never control if the ball goes in the basket or not, but I think you can always control your effort and intensity. On top of that, I bring three-level scoring. I can get to the rim and shoot from the outside."
Davis hopes to insert those skills alongside proven Wizards like Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. The star guard will have instant value as a proven defender and scorer at the collegiate level. He will join the Wizards’ wing rotation, which currently includes Beal, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Deni Advija and Corey Kispert.
Upon being drafted, Davis made his mindset clear, “I’m really excited to get to work. … As soon as it hits midnight, I’m ready to get to work.”
He will continue in his father, Mark Davis’, footsteps by joining the NBA. Mark played 13 seasons of professional basketball, mostly overseas. In 1985, he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and additionally spent time with the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
Donnie Slusher is the sports editor for the Daily Cardinal. He has written multiple breaking news stories, sports columns and an in-depth examination of race in Wisconsin football. Follow Donnie on Twitter at @DonnieSlusher_
