NBA Draft 2022: Johnny Davis 'excited' to get started, will miss being close to his family
Johnny Davis was the Big Ten Player of the Year last season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wisconsin standout Johnny Davis is only a few hours away from hearing his name called at the NBA Draft and realizing his dream of playing professional basketball has turned into a reality.
Davis is expected to be selected in the top 10-12 picks on Thursday night. He told Fox News Digital he was really looking forward to the event and taking in all his pre-draft tasks.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NBA prospect, Johnny Davis poses during the 2022 NBA Draft Combine Circuit on May 17, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. (Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)
"As busy as my days are, I’m kind of enjoying it. Just knowing that this is probably how my life is going to be from now on. Just traveling to places, doing this, doing that," Davis said. "But I’m really looking forward to Thursday, especially that I got my family and my friends with me. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and really exciting."
Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 31 games for the Badgers last season. He was the 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year and a Consensus All-American. The solid season propelled him up draft boards and mock drafts and there’s hope he could be an integral piece to any team.
When asked what the 20-year-old would miss about Wisconsin, he said primarily being close to his family.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wisconsin's Johnny Davis dribbles during the first-round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Colgate on March 18, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
"There’s a lot of things I’m going to miss about Wisconsin. It was just great to be in my home state. I live like two hours from campus. I would go to school and whenever I got some time off, I go home and see my family. I would say being closer to my family is something I really miss the most," he said.
Davis could be picked by the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder or somewhere before No. 10 or after No. 12.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Regardless, he told Fox News Digital he will bring a winning attitude and mindset to any team that takes him.
"A lot of people didn’t pick Wisconsin to be as good as we were this past year, win as many games as we did. I think winning 25 games in any circumstance in any college season is really good. I would just say that winning mentality and that winning culture," he said.
Johnny Davis of the Badgers drives against the Iowa State Cyclones during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Fiserv Forum on March 20, 2022, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Davis also teamed up with Panini America ahead of the draft. He said it was a great fit for him because he used to collect basketball cards when he was younger.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Definitely. I collected cards a little bit when I was younger. Me and my team, whenever we would go to play in a tournament in this place called the Wisconsin Dells they would have a little shop with cards in plaques, that I’ve hung up in my room actually at home in La Crosse. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get one of mine up there," he said.
Davis added he would collect anyone who he thought was good enough to be on his wall.
"Just anybody I thought was good. I know I’d have like one of Steve Nash, David Robinson, Pete Maravich. Just anybody I thought was good at the time and worth of being on my wall."
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The NBA Draft is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center.