HawgBeat - Devo Davis ready to showcase NBA potential as senior
Arkansas Razorbacks basketball guard Davonte "Devo" Davis is poised to have a huge senior season for the Hoop Hogs.
arkansas.rivals.com
Players like Davonte "Devo" Davis are what make college basketball fun and unique. Not often do you have an in-state talent contribute from the very first day they step on the court, but the Preseason All-SEC Second Team guard has done just that for the Arkansas basketball team.
After averaging 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and leading the team in three point shooting (34.6% on 47 makes) in 2022, Davis decided to enter his name into the 2023 NBA Draft to get important feedback to help improve his game. The senior talked about that process during SEC Media Day on Wednesday.
"Knowing that I wanted to test the waters and see where my involvement in the NBA was and taking a step back, coming back to Arkansas, I think it was a good thing to do," Davis said. "Just knowing that I can improve my game in all aspects. So, coming back, it wasn’t a bad idea and we’re ready to win."
A career 30.9% three point shooter, Davis noted that shooting off the dribble was one of the things that he needed to get better at if he wanted to become a professional basketball player.
"Just being more consistent as a leader," Davis said. "And also working on all aspects of my game such as making consistent three’s off the dribble and things like that to evolve my game so that I’m able to play at the next level.
"Evolving and being more vocal. And just being more consistent in some parts of my game. I think I’ve gotten better at that already, so a lot of great feedback and I’m glad that I took the feed back and ran with it."
With his experience as an NBA head coach for the Golden State Warriors (2002-04) and Sacramento Kings (2006-07), Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman has the exact resume a player looking to play at the next level is looking for.
"Very exciting coach," Davis said. "Very fiery and that’s how I am. Love to win, love the passion of the game. And I think that’s what it takes to be great and I take it from him and I feed off him and we try to feed off and give to the team and the coaching staff as well, so we can all win as a whole."
Known as "The Importer" for his ability to navigate the transfer portal to bring in top talent during the offseason, Musselman only cemented his reputation following his team's defeat to UConn in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season.
Portal additions of Khalif Battle, Keyon Menifield Jr., El Ellis, Denijay Harris, Chandler Lawson, Tramon Mark and Jeremiah Davenport have added the depth and experience that a team needs to make a deep run in March.
"Just being more older, as a collective group," Davis said. "I think that’s going to help us. The experience down the road within the season, because the season is a long season. I think just being able to stay together, stay glued together and I think we’ll get the job done.
"I like all the transfers. They are really catching on really fast. Knowing that the systems that they came from might not be like Coach Muss’, but they’re all buying in. The transfers all have impacted the program already."
That group — along with Davis — is poised to have a huge upcoming season. After making three straight Sweet Sixteen's and two of the last three Elite Eight's, the Hoop Hogs have their eyes set on the Final Four and beyond in 2023-24.
If they're going to get there, they'll need the talent, fire and energy from "March Devo." Given the nickname after impressive performances during each of the last three tournament runs — including a 25-point outing against Kansas last year — Davis expects to continue to ingrain his post-season legacy this season.
"Oh, yeah," Davis said. "I don’t think he went nowhere. I think he’s still here. So yeah, I’m ready. We’re ready. And I think everyone else is really excited."
As a Jacksonville native, having the opportunity to play in front of fans from his home state means everything to Davis and it is a big reason why he came back to represent the cardinal and white for one more season.
"They’re wild, they’re wild," Davis said. "And it’s a good wild. I love it. I’m from Arkansas. I’m an Arkansas kid and so just being able to have those fans behind us, have our backs, is amazing and we all love the Razorback fanbase."
The fans won't have to wait long to see the Razorbacks play, as Arkansas will take on UT Tyler in an exhibition match Friday. The game is set to tip at 6:30 p.m. CT inside Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, and there will be no TV stream.
