Anthony Davis has reopened one of the more complicated relationships of his career, and he did it with unusual bluntness. Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Davis said the New Orleans Pelicans’ decision not to play a tribute video during his return visit left a lasting scar and effectively ended any thought of a future reunion with the franchise.
“I was f*cking hot I ended up scoring 42. I was open to returning to New Orleans later but after no tribute that door is closed.”
Anthony Davis told Gayle Benson he would be open to returning to the Pelicans at the end of his career, until they didn’t give him a tribute video in his return to New Orleans.
“That was my final straw”
(via @DraymondShow) pic.twitter.com/2SV4ltXr59
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 8, 2026
Davis spent seven seasons in New Orleans after being drafted first overall in 2012, became one of the defining stars in franchise history, and was central to the team’s identity before his contentious exit in 2019. That history made any eventual reconciliation plausible, at least in theory. Davis now says that possibility is gone.
There is, of course, another side to why the relationship remains complicated. Davis did not leave New Orleans quietly. His trade request, the public nature of that saga, and the “That’s all, folks” shirt he wore near the end of his Pelicans tenure ensured that his departure would not be remembered as clean or affectionate. That context helps explain why a tribute was never guaranteed, even for a player of his stature.
Still, Davis’ comments are revealing because they show how athletes often measure respect differently from franchises and fan bases. The Pelicans may have seen caution, distance, or even justified restraint. Davis saw disrespect. And years later, he is still talking about it not as a missed gesture, but as a closed door.
