Anthony Davis returned to the New Orleans Pelicans’ lineup on Friday night, but not all fans were happy to see him.
Davis was booed audibly by some of the fans in New Orleans, posting 32 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes in a Pelican victory. Still, the atmosphere created an odd game, and Davis admitted that it was strange to hear booing from those who had most supported him in the past.
“That was definitely awkward,” Davis said, via Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “Boo? OK. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m going to go out there and play basketball. I was [surprised]. But hey, that’s life, man. Some people are not gonna like me. I’m just happy to be back on the floor playing the game that I love.”
Davis’s public trade demand clearly bothered a lot of Pelicans fans, and the fact that he didn’t get his wish just makes things more uncomfortable. The Pelicans have been left with no choice but to play him, and it’s likely that this initial awkwardness will pass, but it’s still going to be a strange environment in New Orleans for the remainder of the season.
