Louisville Men’s Basketball has had a very good start to the season. The Cards are 4-0 and being led by a mix of upper classmen and freshmen. However, the spirits of the fan base were dampened when the pandemic forced the cancellation of Friday’s game against UNC Greensboro. Yet, an uplifting occurrence happened on the recruiting trail. A player with a familiar last name has joined the Cardinal family. 4 Star 2022 F D’Ante Davis committed to Louisville.
110% Committed 🤞🏽 L1C4 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/g5AX9L321V
— D’Ante Davis (@DanteDavis__) December 6, 2020
He is the younger brother of current freshman forward Dre Davis. Dre has been a pleasant surprise in the early going of this season, having scored 21 points in Louisville’s victory over WKU Tuesday night.
The younger Davis decided to join his brother here at Louisville, choosing the Cards over offers from IU, Purdue, Xavier, and Butler. He was also receiving interest from Ohio State. He is currently ranked as the 134th best prospect overall and 36th best at his position of SF, according to 247sports composite rankings. Luke Murray was Tae’s primary recruiter for the Cards.
Playing for Warren Central High School last season, Davis averaged 10.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He made an all-around impact on the court for Warriors, who finished the season 22-3. Of course, the playoffs were cancelled due to the pandemic.
*stats courtesy of MaxPreps
Tae Davis Highlights and Game Breakdown:
(Warning: The video below contains explicit song lyrics)
Sam’s Breakdown
Louisville got their 2022 class started off with a BANG. Davis is 4* guard/wing with a huge upside.
Offensively, there is a lot to love from Davis. D’Ante is athletic, but his athleticism won’t jump out at you. What D’Ante is, however, is a smooth all-around wing. Davis is a really good spot-up shooter. Davis has a very efficient midrange pull up game. Being 6’6 with long arms and a high release on his jumper, Davis’ shot is hard to block. He’s able to quickly get to his spot and explode into his jumper from anywhere on the court. Davis also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, where he can finish with either hand.
Defensively, Davis is a really solid defender. Davis has very active hands and moves really well laterally. Davis uses his quick feet and long arms to close out effectively and challenge shooters. Standing 6’6, Davis is very good rebounder. Davis is very competitive, that competitiveness gives him a huge edge on the defense. In Coach Mack’s defensive system and scheme, Davis’ length and athleticism will be a huge asset. With the added muscle and strength that Davis will put on while at Louisville, it can only help strengthen his defensive effectiveness.
Perhaps what could be perceived as the two biggest knocks against Davis’ game is that he doesn’t play above the rim and the lack of dribble combination moves and counter moves. In fact, Davis has said himself that he has been working on adding 1 or 2 counter dribble moves into his game. Folks don’t let that blind you on Davis’ talent, because the young man is uber talented and he his just scratching the surface.
Shawn’s Breakdown
Tae Davis is very long, standing 6’6 with a nice wingspan. It’s already easy to see what Coach Mack and other coaches like about his game. He can score at all three levels with proficiency, he can handle the ball, he’s a decent passer, and he shows flashes of being a very good defender.
When it comes to shooting, Davis has a very smooth, repeatable stroke. He gets great lift on his shot and has a nice, high release point. He’s a career 37-percent three-point shooter in high school and, based on his highlights, I think he could improve on that. Still 37-percent is good in its own right. He can hit those three-pointers proficiently in catch-and-shoot scenarios, but can also hit them off rhythm dribbles. He displays a nice little step-back and has nice little side-step bounce he uses that works well with his quick release. The fact he can hit them in catch-and-shoot scenarios from the wings and corners bodes well for playing with passing guards like Bobby Pettiford and possibly El Ellis. He’s so good at finding the open spot beyond the arc and presenting himself.
Davis has a nice little pull-up jumper he can utilize off shot fakes. It’s only seen once in the highlights, but it’s obvious it’s something he works on and has made part of his repertoire. He’s also good at using a nice floater when getting in the lane. It’s as smooth as silk.
Davis is a very good finisher around the rim. I believe it’s due to his size and long arms. It’s hard for shot blockers to have a chance to block him cleanly. He’s not afraid of contact and can finish through it. Whether cutting off the ball, or slashing with the ball from the wing, Davis gets to the basket and knows how to get his shot in the hoop.
Coach Mack can rely upon Davis with the ball in his hands. He’s a very good ball handler that can cut through a defense driving to the hoop or bring the ball up on a fast break and make a good decision. When Davis is in slash mode on the offensive end, he doesn’t just drive with his head down. Instead, he uses a quick first-step to get his primary defender on his hip. Once help defense comes, Davis can use a nice euro-step, a jump stop, or a spin move to get around them and score. One thing that is noticeable is that Davis is under control driving to the basket. He avoids charges and isn’t off balance taking shots or shooting layups. In transition, he has his head up and is a willing passer. He makes a nice bounce pass in one highlight for an easy layup for a teammate. He can get around a lone defender at the rim in transition to finish as well.
As a passer, Davis is willing. Usually, though, he’s not looking to facilitate when he has the ball. Instead, he’s looking to score. However, he does show he will pass the ball when his teammates have good scoring opportunities. There’s the fast break pass mentioned above and then in another highlight, a big slips a screen and Davis hits him with a simple, accurate pass for an easy deuce.
One other skill Davis possesses is the ability to move without the ball. It’s reminiscent of current Card Samuell Williamson. He understands how to maneuver to get open looks whether from the arc or in the lane. A prime example this is in a highlight where he sets an on-ball screen. Once he has set it, the defense becomes confused, but it did not free up the ball handler for a drive. Instead of standing there or trying to reset the screen, Davis maneuvers his way adeptly to the rim and the ball handler sees him open, makes the pass, and Davis gets an easy layup. He also understands how to move around the arc as a guard drives to get himself into a position where he can catch-and-shoot.
As defender, Davis shows promise. He is good at getting low and moving his feet. He uses his long arms to get deflections on the perimeter or when closing down the lane on help defense. He is an able rebounder as well, but will have to get stronger and better at blocking out, but he has a nose for the ball as it comes off the rim.
Tae Davis is a very promising basketball player. He’s skilled on the offensive end, able to score in a variety of ways. Whether he slashes to the basket, uses a jab step or shot fake and gets an open mid-range jumper, or presents himself for an open catch-and-shoot three, Davis is a tremendous talent offensively. Defensively, he is able to move his feet and stay in front of ball handlers and use his long arms to make passing difficult for the other team; often times getting deflections. He’s a good rebounder, but must get grow a little more there. Once he gets to Louisville and adds strength, he could be a true offensive force.
Tae Davis will now join his brother at Louisville, becoming the first commit of 2022. The long, athletic Davis is a knockdown shooter that can handle the ball, get to the rim, and finish. Defensively, he can stay in front of guards and forwards and uses his long arms to get deflections and disrupt offenses. Davis has a lot of potential and could become a special player at Louisville, just like his brother is becoming. This is a great pickup for Coach Mack and a GREAT start to the 2022 class.
