The Denver Nuggets do not yet own a pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but buying or trading their way back into the action is still on the table so the team did its due diligence Tuesday morning by conducting a round of pre-draft workouts.
Among the six players that worked out in front of players, coaches, and front office personnel in the Nuggets practice facility was Jordan Davis, a 6’2” 185 lb. guard out of the University of Northern Colorado.
Davis averaged just under 24 points per game during his senior season when he was named the 2019 Big Sky MVP. He led his team in points, assists, and steals per game while leading the conference in scoring as well.
Davis is undersized, played for a small school, and grew up in North Las Vegas, where people don’t always succeed in the way that he is attempting to. He wore those things on his sleeve as he spoke to the media, citing his underdog nature and a desire to support his two-year-old daughter as his motivators while he pursues his ultimate dream of playing in the NBA.
“Coming from a situation where I was at a smaller school, I have to be the biggest dog in the room,” Davis told the media when asked about his approach to these workouts. “It is another day in the gym. Whether it is with my trainer or back home with my dad, it makes no sense to feed into the pressure or the hype. I’ve been playing basketball for 15 years now so, it is another day in the gym.”
Davis has a relationship with his father that Nuggets fans might find familiar. Much like Jamal Murray, Davis is pushed by a man who is determined to help his son live his dreams. Among the many daily habits he instilled in Jordan, his father required 1000 calf raises before falling asleep each night while growing up—a ritual that helped the undersized guard increase his vertical leap. That vertical was on full display during the 3-v-3 scrimmage that closed Tuesday’s workout.
On the first possession of the scrimmage, Davis stripped the ball and finished the fast break with a vicious one-handed slam on the other end.
Watch Davis’ interview here:
