It would be a mistake to assume Warren junior point guard Jaxson Davis can’t aim much higher.
As Davis, the first sophomore to win Mr. Basketball of Illinois, gets back in the driver’s seat for the Blue Devils, staying in neutral isn’t possible.
“I’ve been building confidence the last couple of years, and I would say I’ve been a leader for my team,” he said. “But I feel like I have to lead more and more.
“When I play, I like to think I’m the best player on the court, but now I want to focus on bringing my team with me.”
Davis already led Warren (27-11) to the Class 4A state championship game in March, but he hasn’t forgotten that Benet pulled out a 55-54 win.
“That’s never going to leave my mind,” Davis said. “I’m always going to remember that we were right there at the end.
“For now, I’m just staying in the moment and helping build this team block by block. If we’re able to go and win it this year, that would make me feel much better.”
Davis will be leading a much different team this season. The only other starter returning for the Blue Devils is senior guard Braylon Walker, although senior forward Avonn King and senior guard Javin Griffin played last season.
Of course, the 6-foot-1 Davis is the engine. A consensus top-100 prospect who is ranked No. 1 in the state by 247Sports with offers from DePaul, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Marquette, Michigan, Northwestern and Purdue, among others, Davis averaged 19.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals last season.
He had 27 points and seven steals in Warren’s 66-49 win over Rich Township in the state semifinals and nearly recorded a triple-double with 19 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the state final.
“Already this year, it looks like he has a different focus level,” Warren coach Zack Ryan said. “Every day, he comes in with the same attitude. Some of that comes with maturity.
“But he wins every single sprint. The first week of practice was some of the best practices he’s had. It’s not just how he’s playing, but how he’s communicating with teammates.”
Davis works virtually 365 days each year to ensure he’s at the top of his game, but it’s essential that his teammates are at their best as well.
“His game is more mature, and he’s more of a vocal leader,” Walker said. “You can see him getting guys in the right spots in practice, and he’s like a second coach on the floor, especially with both he and I knowing the offense like the back of our hands.”
Davis’ around-the-calendar training also includes AAU tournaments, but even those can’t match the four days he spent at USA Basketball’s men’s junior national team minicamp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in October.
Davis came away from those sessions feeling better than ever about his game.
“It was amazing being around the top players in the country,” he said. “Everything felt different because everyone was elite. Everything was harder, but the floor was actually more open, and things flowed really easily. I felt like I belonged.”
Being invited to participate in the minicamp is yet another honor for Davis, but he also considers the experience important for his growth.
“The biggest difference between national players and local is that national guys are so athletic,” he said. “You have to be really efficient with every movement, get to the point right away. They know how to use angles, so shot fakes are important. Hopefully, I’ll get asked back.”
The next USA Basketball camp will be held during the NCAA Men’s Final Four. In the meantime, Davis has work to do as he and his teammates tip off the season with two games in Rockford next weekend.
“My voice is big for them, and they believe in me,” Davis said. “So then now it’s my responsibility to lift them up. We’ll see where it leads us.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
