Anthony Davis understands the score. Years after his seismic trade from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers, the superstar big man knows his legacy in the Big Easy is complicated, accepting that he will always be cast as the villain in that story.

Davis spent seven formative seasons in New Orleans, evolving from a No. 1 overall pick into a perennial All-NBA talent. However, his eventual trade request—a move that ultimately delivered him an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020—fundamentally altered his bond with the Pelicans' fanbase. The tension is palpable every time he returns to the Smoothie King Center, met with a chorus of boos that he now expects.

In a recent conversation on the Draymond Green Show, Davis reflected on the lasting fallout. "So, now because I want to win, I’m considered a villain to this team and to this fanbase," Davis explained. "To this day, I go back and they still boo me." He pointed to a specific moment that, for him, signaled a permanent rift: the lack of a video tribute during his first return to New Orleans as a Laker.

Davis revealed he had even left the door open for a potential future reunion when discussing his trade request with Pelicans owner Gayle Benson. "I told her, 'This might not be the end, though... Later on in my career, who knows if I was to come back and we try to do something special as I’m older,'" Davis shared. "When I went back that first game and got no tribute, I said, 'Oh, that door is closed.'"

That experience solidified his status as a permanent antagonist in New Orleans, a role he has come to own. While his departure paved the way for his ultimate championship success, it also closed a chapter, leaving a complex legacy defined by both immense talent and a fractured relationship with the city that first called him its own.