One-time Blazers center Ed Davis has been indicted in the same case as Malik Beasley and Chauncey Billups. Who was Davis on the basketball court?
Former Portland Trailblazers backup big Ed Davis has been indicted in the sports betting scandal that has targeted Malik Beasley and former Blazers coach Chauncey "Mr. Big Shot" Billups. The salacious details outline how Beasley owed his then Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Davis millions of dollars. Alleged texts indicate how Davis urged Beasley to gamble on certain of his over/under outcomes to repay his debt. Between January and March 2024, Beasley is accused of manipulating his point and rebound totals to reach overs and unders agreed upon with the other accused culprits. It's important to note that an indictment isn't a conviction, although an investigation is ongoing. Tiago Splitter took over for Billups as head coach, and Beasley couldn't get an NBA job last year after arguably being the league's best shooter in the 24-25 season.
But who was Ed Davis, the NBA journeyman? Way before the scandal, Davis, a 6'9, 225-pounder, was one of the best per-minute rebounders in the league. Coming off the bench in Portland from 2015-2018. Davis twice averaged over 7 rebounds a game during that time. In 15-16, he set a Blazers franchise record with 599 rebounds off the bench. This number was also a career-high output. The following year, shoulder surgery limited him to 46 games. He bounced back in 17-18 with 78 games played, again establishing himself as an elite bench rebounder. The 78 games were all off the bench, and that year he shot 67 percent from the free-throw line, the best of his three seasons in Portland as he worked to refine his release.
The athletic lefty also shot 60 percent from the field one of those years. He set solid screens for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum while also being effective at the rim. On the other side of the ball, he used his athletic frame and wingspan to block close to a shot a game during his run in Portland. While the new allegations, whether they prove to be accurate or not, may leave a dent on his NBA legacy, he'll always be remembered as a fan favorite in the Rose City.
Davis retired from the league in 2022 after being on a Cavaliers team that made the play-in. He then played in Puerto Rico and China before ending his career in 2024. Damon Jones pivoted after initially claiming innocence and pleaded guilty in the same federal case. It'll be interesting to see the outcome for this former well-liked Blazers boarder.
