Why Sydney believes in KD

Kendric Davis’ ability has never been in question. After all, he was the MVP runner-up last year on a team that managed only 13 wins from 29 games.

But a change of environment seems to have brought out even more in the star point guard, with his influence on games, and his teammates, continuing to grow.

“You naturally see the stuff that goes on social media, him coming in, and he’s been completely different to what you’ve heard of everything that happened in Adelaide,” fellow Sydney King Tyler Robertson said.

“He’s a guy that after every game he texts me what I can do better, what I’ve done great. And that sort of stuff is stuff that doesn’t really get noticed and people don’t know about it … and people don’t need to know about it, but it’s stuff like that that really shows his true character and true leadership.”

Davis has averaged an impressive 23 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6 assists on a team that’s been battered by injuries to its stars and its leaders.

It’s made his experience even more vital in a time of need.

“That leadership piece … he’s getting the locker room. He’s getting the guys with him and that’s something that we talked about in coming here,” coach Brian Goorjian said.

“Maybe there’s been more opportunity in that form with Delly (Matthew Dellavedova) being gone (injured), so it’s not a shared thing, and also Xavier (Cooks).

“Even when I’m putting the captain on the score sheet, I’m looking and I’m going the captain and the co-captain aren’t there, so it falls on him.

“And since those guys have been out, we’ve won a ton of games, and so you’d have to point to him.”

“He’s got the whole locker room. Everyone’s got his back 100 per cent of the time,” Robertson continued.

Davis’ full bag of tricks was on show in Thursday’s win over Tasmania, with a 40-piece leading the Kings to their ninth win in 11 games.

“What he was seen as when he came into this and what he’s evolved to … he can score, he can get points when you need them, but he’s also about distributing the ball, getting other guys involved in the game and us winning the game, as opposed to trying to win the scoring championship and trying to be the MVP,” Goorjian said.

“I think that he’s a hell of a player, a very special player, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the future,” Robertson added.

Davis takes on his former teammates on Sunday, as the fourth-placed Kings face Adelaide at Qudos Bank Arena, live on ESPN and 10 from 2.30pm AEDT.