Adelaide captain Dejan Vasiljevic on Kendric Davis, 36ers motivation ahead of NBL postseason berth
Out-of-contract Adelaide star Kendric Davis’ cryptic social media post sent the NBL rumour mill into overdrive. But captain Dejan Vasiljevic says there’s a simple explanation.
36ers
Don't miss out on the headlines from 36ers. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Adelaide captain Dejan Vasiljevic has dismissed speculation star import Kendric Davis has made a call to leave the 36ers – saying the American was confused about the NBL playoff schedule when he made social posts farewelling fans.
The Sixers are assured of a postseason berth for the first time since 2017-18 with a Friday night date with Perth to decide if they take winning form into a do-or-die play-in game next week.
Out-of-contract at season’s end, Davis took to Instagram and Twitter last round, thanking Adelaide fans following the club’s final home game of the season against Brisbane had many wondering if it signalled the end of his stay in the City of Churches.
“If this was my last game in Adelaide tonight I just want to say thank you to the unbelievable fans and amazing city for embracing me as your own,” Davis wrote on Instagram.
“Forever hold a place in my heart, thank you.”
But Vasiljevic said the young gun was genuinely confused about the NBL’s complex finals structure and the posts came from a want to honour 36ers fans, who’d ensured all 14 home games at Adelaide Entertainment Centre in NBL25 had sold out.
“He didn’t understand how the play-in and the playoffs work here and he actually thought this was the last game of the season and then we play on the road because we finish sixth and they’re all one-and-done games,” Vasiljevic explained.
“There was just a bit of confusion, he didn’t realise once you get to the semis it’s a series and that’s when you get to play at home again.
“He thanked the crowd thinking it was his last home game, knowing he had playoffs, but he didn’t know how the playoffs were structured.”
Sources within the 36ers camp insist Davis had turned a corner since his heated locker room blow-up with coach Mike Wells in mid-January.
The American import has been volatile at times but a source said he’d displayed more maturity and a team-first mentality in recent weeks.
The 36ers have indicated a desire to re-sign the gifted guard, but the Sixers will face a battle, given the big-money interest from rival NBL clubs and overseas.
Vasiljevic believes Davis, who is pushing Perth superstar Bryce Cotton in the MVP race on the back of 25.3 points, 8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals, is the best import to play in Adelaide since Jerome Randle.
While he wants the 25-year-old to stay, he’s realistic about the task.
“When you have one hell of a year like he’s had, it comes with an asking price, so I think there will be a lot of teams around the world, maybe even the NBA, that will be chasing his signature for a lot of money,” Vasiljevic said.
“It just really depends on money and situation. I’d love to have him back but money talks.”
Prior to Thursday night’s Sunshine Stoush, Adelaide (13-12) was sixth on the ladder, Tasmania (12-13) seventh and Brisbane (12-13) eighth.
For the 36ers to surrender that spot, the JackJumpers would have to pull off a 73-point turnaround to shift the percentage, while the Bullets need a 96-point swing.
Neither of those are going to happen but Vasiljevic knows it all becomes a moot point if they can go to Perth – against a Wildcats team that has beaten them on all three occasions this season – and just win.
“We’re going to play two play-in games on the road if you win the first, so just trying to find rhythm and momentum on the road going into this will be big,” he said.
“We think we can beat anyone in this league. When we play the best basketball we can play, no one can beat us.
“It starts with Perth on Friday night and then on Saturday we’ll know exactly who we play, where we play and what day we play and then we start preparing mentally.”
PERTH WILDCATS V ADELAIDE 36ERS
Friday, February 7, 9pm (ACDT), RAC Arena
More Coverage
Originally published as Adelaide captain Dejan Vasiljevic on Kendric Davis, 36ers motivation ahead of NBL postseason berth
Monsta, ex-Doncic teammate react to ‘wild’ NBA-shaking trade
It’s the trade that left the entire basketball world in shock. Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell and Luka Doncic’s rookie-year teammate Ryan Broekhoff have weighed in.
Humphries shares his ‘tricky’ locker room experience
As the only current openly gay basketballer in the world, Isaac Humphries reflects on his ‘tricky’ locker room experiences and the positive change he’s seen at the NBL.