How training camp in Los Angeles helped RJ Davis with an ‘underrated’ skill

When NBA teams invite players to training camp, the harsh reality is that most of them actually have no chance of making the team’s final roster. But with continued growth and expansion G LeagueNBA teams are given the option to keep some of those players under their umbrella and monitor their development with their G League affiliate. RJ Davis, who was in training camp with the Los Angeles Lakerss, is one of those players who is now in the G League with South Bay.

Although RJ Davis had solid moments during training camp with the Lakers, was one of the team’s final cutsand he now finds himself at the start of his professional career playing in the G League with the South Bay.

South Bay started the season 2-0 with back-to-back home wins over the weekend, and Davis played a key role in both of those games. He was the starting point guard for South Bay, and showed a nice balance between playmaking and creating for his teammates and scoring when needed. After South Bay’s first win of the season, Davis talked about how being in training camp with the Lakers helped him hone those skills.

“I made open shots when I needed to, I was aggressive. I found teammates whether it was in transition or a set play. So I felt like I did a good job of that,” Davis said. “I just let it flow. I had a really good summer from open races to preseason training camp and learning from the vets. It allowed me to go out there and show who I am and who my game is. I feel like that was an underrated aspect of my game.”

In South Bay’s first win against the Valley Suns, Davis finished with 31 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. The next night, he had 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block.

For South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie, it’s all about finding the right balance. To identify when to be a facilitator and when to take over the game offensively.

“It’s about being able to not only move the ball across the court and organize your team, but understanding who’s on the floor with you. How to get them shots, how to maximize the other four players on the court with you. And then when the situation calls for it, ‘hey, I’ve got to get a bucket here and stop the run,'” Guthrie said after the South Bay opener.

During the preseason, Davis appeared in five games with the Lakers, averaging just over 16 minutes per game. He averaged 8.6 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from the three-point line and 92.9 percent from the free throw line. However, he only had 0.2 assists.

In college at North Carolina, Davis averaged just over three assists per game over five seasons. Although he has always been known as a scorer, with South Bay he has shown the ability to be a strong playmaker as well. That will be crucial for him to solidify himself as a legitimate NBA player.