Anthony Davis’ attempt at a Los Angeles Lakers pregame ritual gave the NBA world all the feels. The 33-year-old maintains a close relationship with his former teammates despite being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2025 and later traded to the Washington Wizards after an injury layoff.
NBA World Reacts to Anthony Davis’ Pregame Ritual Attempt With Lakers
Davis, one of the greatest power forwards of all time, was part of the Lakers squad that won the NBA title in 2020. He became the third Lakers player to record 50 blocks in a single postseason during the 2023 playoffs, behind only Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, following a season marred by injuries.
He was also an integral part of the Lakers’ roster in 2023 and 2025 before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2025.
He played for the Mavericks but couldn’t help them reach playoff contention. Davis suffered a left-hand injury earlier this year and opted for non-surgical treatment, which required a prolonged recovery.
Finally, in 2026, he joined the Washington Wizards and chose to wear jersey No. 23, the first Wizard to do so since Michael Jordan’s retirement in the 2002-03 season.
The 33-year-old continues to focus on his full recovery but was on the sidelines during the recent Lakers-Wizards game, where he instinctively tried to join a familiar pregame huddle and handshake routine that had been part of him for years.
Analyst page Lakers All Day Everyday posted the clip and wrote: “AD wanted to do the Lakers old pregame football ritual.”
AD wanted to do the Lakers old pregame football ritual 😠pic.twitter.com/evM5F9DpQ7
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) March 31, 2026
Richard Staple, BSN, RN, echoed the sentiment and urged Washington to bring him home soon, writing: “Washington bring him home.”
Washington bring him home. https://t.co/2fCQEWaVJf
— Richard Staple, BSN, RN🇯🇲 (@RichStapless) March 31, 2026
NBA Memes felt that the Kentucky men’s basketball alum misses playing with the Los Angeles team, saying: “Anthony Davis misses playing for the Lakers.”
Anthony Davis misses playing for the Lakers 💔 pic.twitter.com/dg68e1GFce
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) March 31, 2026
Hoop Central wrote: “Anthony Davis wanted to do the Lakers football pregame ritual.”
Anthony Davis wanted to do the Lakers football pregame ritual. 🤣
(via @LADEig)
pic.twitter.com/gqnJt6EIOB
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 31, 2026
With Luka Doncic sidelined due to a technical foul, the Lakers were still dominant against the bottom-seeded Washington team. All-time leading scorer LeBron James led the Lakers with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, and several squad members capped the game in double figures. They will continue their playoff push and aim for a deep run, with Doncic among the top contenders for MVP.
The Lakers will next be in action against the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
