MIAMI – After he’d opened his gifts on Christmas morning, even if he preferred to watch something more kid-friendly on television, he was significantly outnumbered. As a youngster growing up in Chicago, Anthony Davis was part of a basketball-crazed family, one in which everyone played or watched the sport on a daily basis. As a result, when Dec. 25 came around each winter, the precocious boy knew exactly what would be appearing on his family’s television set.
“I kind of had no choice. Even if I wanted to watch cartoons, that TV stayed on ABC all day,” Davis said, referring to the network that broadcasts some of the NBA’s widely-watched Christmas games.