Score, selfie, sign: Former Waves standout Stacy Davis recognized on and off Japanese hoops courts • The Malibu Times
Pepperdine alum scored a career-high 41 points in Albirex's 85-81 victory over Fukuoka Rizing on March 23
When basketball player Stacy Davis was scoring and rebounding at a record-setting rate for the Pepperdine Waves men'sbasketball team, autograph seekers or selfie requestors were a rare occurrence for him.
Davis, who graduated from Pepperdine in 2016 as the basketball program's all-time leader in points and rebounds, said he was viewed as a peer by Waves hoops followers.
"Basketball at Pepp wasn't as revered as it is at some big schools due to it being so small," said the 6-foot-6 Davis. "You could see me walking around daily, but like at USC, you might never see an athlete on campus because of how large the school is and the number of students."
Davis, now a professional basketball player who has plied his trade overseas for eight years, experienced the completeopposite as a pro player this past season in Japan. Picture and John Hancock requests happened more than just in the arena.
"So many times, I'd be grocery shopping with my AirPods in and then boom," recalled Davis, who played for two Japanese pro teams."Someone would ask for a picture or autograph. It even happened when I had my daughter with me. It was really cool."
The 29-year-old and his best friend, Charlie Anne, went to Tommy's Bar, a cocktail and food bar in Tokyo, one January night and struck up a conversation with the establishment's namesake owner. When Tommy discovered Davis was a high-scoring basketball player, he asked for a picture and Davis obliged. Soon after, a picture of Davis, Anne, Tommy, and others was plopped on a wall in the eatery.
The experience, Davis said, was unique.
"It really gave me a core memory regarding Japan," Davis explained. "Tommy was a cool dude with a lot of history and stories. Talking to him and his friends and being able to go up on the wall meant a lot."
Autograph and picture seekers were among Davis' highlights of playing in Japan. He had the chance to sightsee throughout the country and take his 7-year-old daughter Saniyah to Disneyland in Tokyo when she visited from America.
"I was able to experience Japan and everything it has to offer," he said. "It wasn't so much the basketball — basketball is basketball — the biggest things can come off the court. Getting to experience Japan — the food, the culture. The food was amazing. The best ramen ever; top-tier wagyu in the grocery store. The overall experience in Japan, I met a lot of cool people."
The season didn't tip off as a slam dunk for Davis. He played 14 games for the Kyoto Hannaryz, a B1 League team in the southern-central region of Japan's main island, Honshu. He averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds a game for the team. The former Wave didn't like his role on the squad and managed to be released from his contract. Davis signed with the Niigata Albirex, a team on Japan's west coast in the country's J1 League and excelled. In 38 contests, Davis averaged a league-high 24.7 points, along with 7.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.
Davis, who mostly gets his points in the paint, highlighted more of his game with his second Japanese squad.
"It was my most productive year to date," he said. "I played really well. I was thrust into a situation where I had to do everything. I dribbled the ball up as a point guard. If I didn't do that stuff, we weren't close in the fourth quarter."
Davis scored a career-high 41 points in Albirex's 85-81 victory over Fukuoka Rizing on March 23. Davis also had 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and one block in the contest. He splashed five three-point shots.
"That was my best game," he said. "I hit a three, then came down and hit another one. It was a game where I was in the flow. I was on fire."
Davis scored 33, 36, and 35 points in consecutive games in December.
"My daughter attended one of those games," he said. "She got the full experience. Fans wanted to take pictures with her and my mom."
Davis also had some high-rebounding games. He had contests in which he snagged 15, 14, 13, 11, and 10 boards.
Davis has dunked and swished three-point shots in leagues in Europe and Mexico and played in the NBA G-League during the 2022-23 season. He said the style of basketball played in European leagues was physical and featured a bevy of athletic players, while the Japanese leagues' players were small and quick. They also play full-court defense.
The Japanese crowds were frantic, but more subdued, Davis noted.
"The fans cheered when something happened, but you aren't hearing a bunch of stuff blurted out during the game," Davis described.
His team's schedule featured more games — and doubleheaders —which Davis had to get accustomed to.
"Averaging 25 and having that much of a workload, my body was going through it," he said.
The Arizona native is training this summer in Phoenix — refining his ball-handling skills and perfecting his float shot.
"I am the player I am going to be," Davis said. "My game is what my game is."
He said playing in Japan is an experience he will always cherish, and he would dribble toward playing their next season and the rest of his career.
"Japan is dope," he said. "I really enjoyed my time there. I would have never thought basketball would take me this far. The game has done so much for me. I'm extremely grateful."
