Trae Young has high expectations for new co-star Anthony Davis following their exceptional performance in the Washington Wizards’ season opener on Wednesday. Both stars tallied double-doubles – Young scored 20 points and dished 13 assists, while Davis scored 34 and grabbed 12 rebounds, shooting 55.0%.
According to the NBA, Davis became the first player in Wizards history to record a 30-point double-double on debut. He also tied Antawn Jamison’s record for most points by a Wizards player in a franchise debut.
Young and Davis connected on only one field goal, but their partnership also seemed solid beyond the box score. After the game, Young said he wasn’t surprised by Davis’ explosion and wanted to help him win MVP.
“I wasn’t surprised by what he did tonight,” Young said via Bijan Todd’s X. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but for me, having a guy like that, I want to help him get MVP.”
An MVP accolade is one of the major things missing from Davis’ resume. Despite having exceptional seasons in the past, voters have overlooked him. At 33, given Davis’ health issues over the past couple of years, not many would pick him to win the award.
However, if he consistently delivers performances as he did on opening night, he could at least find himself involved in those conversations. For now, the Wizards fans already consider him an MVP. The crowd serenaded him with MVP chants after eight minutes of play.
The Wizards won 128-116. It was the first time they had a record over .500 since Nov. 28, 2022.
Anthony Davis lauds crowd and hands strays to Wizards over previous years’ struggles to fill arenas
Anthony Davis appreciated the Wizards fans for turning out at Capital One Arena. It was the loudest it has been in years, with Washington adding stars like Davis and Trae Young to run the show. Davis credited the fans for fueling the Wizards’ motivation to win on opening night.
“I’d like it to be a little more packed in there, but the crowd was great; they were into it, got us over the hump,” he said via Bijan Todd’s X.
Davis then took a hilarious shot at the Wizards’ struggles to fill up arenas last year, saying:
“Even when I was here last year, very first home game. It was like, ‘Dress Like a Seat Night’ in here.”
The Wizards had been mired at the bottom of the standings every year since their last playoff appearance in 2021. They struggled to attract stars after trading Russell Westbrook to the Lakers the same year. Two years later, Washington moved on from Bradley Beal, further depleting the team’s star depth.
However, the Wizards’ front office made drastic changes, trading for All-Star-caliber talents like Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the last deadline when their value was at its lowest. Washington’s fortunes improved further after it won the 2026 draft lottery and landed AJ Dybantsa with the first pick.
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