Former Pepperdine Waves star basketball player Stacy Davis could have a new hoops home soon.
The 6-foot-6 forward said he and his agent — Eric Fleisher of Assist Sports — have been exploring professional basketball options outside of the U.S.
“I will know something within the next week or so as far as where I will be playing overseas,” Davis said last Sunday. “I could be playing in Germany; I could be playing in Australia. We are seeing what the market is like and going from there. So right now I am just working out and staying ready.”
Davis said signing with a basketball team overseas should be a good experience.
“Seeing a different style of play, seeing a different country and a different culture for six to eight months will be cool,” he said. “It will be an opportunity to travel the world and see places that otherwise I would have never thought about going. I’m taking that perspective about it. It’s a lifelong dream to not only play professional basketball, but also travel the world and sees places I wouldn’t be able to see if it were not for basketball.”
The 21-year-old’s opportunity to play international basketball comes after spending the spring and early summer attempting to lock-on with an NBA team. Davis had a tryout with the Phoenix Suns in May and tried out for the Portland Trailblazers’ summer league team earlier this month.
The basketball player said one thing he learned during his time on the hardwood with NBA coaches is that if a player is not a superstar, the player is expected to excel at one particular skill and do other things well.
“You have to set yourself apart,” Davis said. “One thing I tried to do is to be vocal. I tried to be the most encouraging teammate I could be and really showcase that I am all in it for the team and I am going to help in any way.”
Since Pepperdine’s season ended in March, Davis has worked on expanding his shooting range to the NBA’s three-point line, which is 22 feet away from the hoop. The college three-point line is 20 feet from the basket.
Davis said during tryouts with NBA teams, he found he still had more work to do in that area of his game.
“With the wider court — especially with the pick and pops — it was harder to see where I was at, so I was taking a deep two rather than just taking the three,” he said.
Whatever foreign team signs Davis will be receiving one of the best players in Pepperdine basketball history. Davis scored 1,789 points — tops in Waves’ history — and grabbed 994 rebounds — second-most in school history — during his four yours of college hoops. Davis averaged 15 points and 9.1 rebounds per game throughout his Pepperdine career and was a three-time All-West Coast Conference first team player and two-time NABC All-District second team member.
Davis has been in the Los Angeles area running, lifting weights and working on his basketball skills on a daily basis. He said he is prepared for basketball overseas.
“I think it will be an adjustment for me, but I am more than ready to adapt and make an impact on whatever team I end up being on,” he said. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was seven. It’s the same game, just a different place.”
Davis said his ultimate goal is to still be an NBA player though.
“Next year I definitely want to be on a NBA Summer League team and I want to put myself in the best position to improve my game and showcase that I can play at that level,” he said.
“I’m definitely using [playing internationally] as a stepping stone, but I’m also coming from the perspective of I get to do what I love and I get to go to another country and immerse myself in that culture,” Davis continued. “I’m going to have fun and enjoy myself.”