Anthony Davis Had Two-Word Message for Fans After Exciting First Stretch With Mavericks

AD told Dallas fans "I'm here" after a putback dunk in his first stretch with the Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks center Gafford and forward Davis celebrate after Davis dunks the ball against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Anthony Davis came out swinging in his first minutes with the Dallas Mavericks.

He made his debut with the team Saturday on an emotional day as the Mavs returned home for their first game after last week's league-altering trade. Dallas sent megastar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers and received Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick in return. In his first quarter as a Maverick, Davis scored 14 points along with eight rebounds, three assists and a block.

Davis's explosive first-quarter stretch included a putback dunk after he grabbed his own miss, which led to a Houston Rockets timeout. Once play was stopped, Davis took the opportunity to drum up his new fanbase in a heartwarming "welcome home" moment after what was certainly a difficult week.

ANTHONY DAVIS IS HERE 😤

6 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 1 BLK in just FOUR MINUTES 😳 pic.twitter.com/6n7ALQs8vc

— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 8, 2025

"I'm here," Davis repeated as he pointed toward the floor, hyping up the Dallas crowd.

AD: "I'M HERE" pic.twitter.com/MstvFUr3JJ

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) February 8, 2025

Kyrie Irving, Davis's new costar, led the Mavs out of the tunnel and said his team should move forward after the big trade. Irving and Davis shared a brief moment together before the ran onto the court. Dallas fans let out a big cheer for Davis when he was announced during starting lineups.

It's a new era in Dallas. Although fans miss Dončić greatly, Davis wants them to know he's theirs.

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