First Sydney, then NBA: Kendric Davis opens up on Kings’ trade and what he learned after 36ers season

Kendric Davis’ debut NBL season didn’t go as smoothly as he would have hoped. He tells Code Sports what he took away from his year with the 36ers, and his plan for his Sydney switch.

Kendric Davis was able to “show the world who I am” in his debut NBL season.

The Texas native burst on the Australian basketball scene last year, finishing runner-up for the NBL MVP award in a turmoil-filled season with the Adelaide 36ers.

With the ink now dry on his new Sydney Kings contract, Davis has spoken to Code Sports about what he learnt from his time in Australia so far, the big switch and his hopes of making it in America’s NBA.

SIXERS SWITCH

Playing alongside NBA-level big man Montrezl Harrell, Davis says the biggest thing he learnt from his Adelaide stint was how to “handle adversity.”

The 36ers locker room seemed a place of upheaval during NBL25, including reports of tension between Davis and coach Mike Wells.

Kendric Davis is set on Sydney, then the NBA. Picture: Emily Barker/Getty Images

“I learnt a lot, I grew a lot,” Davis said of last season, during which he averaged 25.6 points per game and 7.8 assists.

“It was my first year overseas and I learned what that life is about.

“They (Adelaide) gave me an opportunity to show who I was when not many people knew who I was or believed in me.

“They gave me that chance to show the world who I am, so I’m forever going to be grateful.”

As for the future of his former teammate Harrell and whether an NBL return was on the cards?

“I don’t have the keys to the NBL organisations and I’m not in the front office so I have no clue, I’m as clueless as you guys.

“I don’t know. We shall see.”

KD had a few things to say after accepting his club MVP award last night 💙🏆#WeAreSixerspic.twitter.com/DChqV7mNz1

— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) February 22, 2025

IT’S A KINGS THING

Davis, 25, admitted he had plenty of options when it came to a new contract, but pointed to the Kings’ “track record” as the reason for his decision.

“The main thing was Coach Gorj (Brian Goorjian), the whole Sydney organisation, Andrew Bogut, the ownership, I can go on and on.

“They just kept believing they could get me to the NBA, which is the main goal.

“They did their research, talked to NBA teams and they believe that I’m right there.”

And the chance to team up with someone who has done it all in fellow recruit Matthew Dellavedova sweetened the deal.

“Learning from Delly (Matthew Dellavedova) who played in the league (NBA), Xavier Cooks, to play with Kuoat (Noi), Pepe (Keli Leaupepe), Bul (Bul Kuol), I thought it just made sense to obviously win a championship but to then get me to the NBA, which they have a track record of doing.”

STACKS OF POTENTIAL

The Kings have pulled together a star-powered roster heading into NBL26.

But Davis has a different approach to joining a “stacked” team line-up.

“We don’t really look at it as stacked, we just want to stack days,” he said.

“If you watch the NBA playoffs, you see teams who you didn’t think would be here in the Western Conference Finals, they’re here now.

“You got New York, who nobody thought would win, you got Minnesota, who went to the Western Conference Finals and you got Indiana, who would be a team that I would consider to stack days.

“They got better every single day, flew under the radar.

“We know we won’t be flying under the radar, but we just want to stack days, push each other to get better and help everybody reach their goal.

“I know my goal is to go to the NBA and win a championship in Sydney.”

RIVALRY RETURN

Davis is set to face his former team before the NBL26 season even tips off, with the 36ers and Kings to take part in the Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament come September, featuring European powerhouse teams Panathinaikos and KK Partizan.

“It’s the best of the best I would say in Europe,” Davis said.

“It’s very exciting, it grows the game internationally and it brings a different competitive juice, it just gets players amped up.

“If dudes ever want to play in Europe after the NBL season, it showcases their talent or you just get a chance to see different styles of play and a chance to see different coaching and environments.

“I know a lot of people in the US are looking forward to it, a lot of people in Europe and China, all over the world.”

Spending his off-season back home in Texas with his family for the USA Summer, Davis will return to Australia and hit the Kings’ court towards the end of July.

Originally published as First Sydney, then NBA: Kendric Davis opens up on Kings’ trade and what he learned after 36ers season