In the event that Davonte Davis, a former guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks, decided to take his talents to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in order to play for Oklahoma State, it was written on these pages that if he is looking for some peace and quiet, some time away from the drama and the spotlight, then he most likely made the right decision.
What he has discovered is a place where the strain is off, and the continual pressure cooker of social media and an entire fan base that was waiting on him to lead their favorite team to a national title has long since disappeared.
Instead, he has a house in a small town, where there is little else to focus on but basketball and pushing himself into a new pace of life. He has a home there.
Even attending media days at conferences was not a task that was assigned to anyone. It was up to Robert Jennings, Bryace Thompson, and Jamyron Keller, who are all teammates of the Cowboys, to shoulder that obligation.
Davis, on the other hand, was allowed to remain at home and do whatever his mind compelled him to do.
There were no cameras pressing against his face, nor were there any notifications on social media that people were offering their opinions on each and every word that he might have said or how his body language might have seemed for a fraction of a second.
Despite this, Davis was unable to avoid attending the Razorbacks’ football game that was scheduled to take place in the second week of the season.
And despite the fact that he was extensively decked out in his new school colors, his signature smile was a dead giveaway for Arkansas supporters who happened to be in the neighborhood at the time.
And despite the fact that many people were resentful or angry on social media, they were delighted to see him in person and, with some time providing a much-needed buffer, they wished the former guard who had carried an entire state on his back against Kansas well with his new squad.
However, a significant portion of the silence that surrounds Davis and his brief stay at Oklahoma State is due to Davis’s own actions. When he was a student at Arkansas, it was not unusual for him to put in close to forty minutes of work.
Nevertheless, in Stillwater, he has been playing for approximately half that amount of time, which is 23 minutes per game, as he adjusts to the new atmosphere.
During the game against Green Bay, which Davis won 89-76, there was a brief moment in which Davis appeared to be a little bit like his former self.
He made his official debut with a performance that included a pair of rebounds, a couple of steals, and ten points on four of nine shooting attempts.
In the game that followed, Davis began against St. Thomas, and he ended up playing for a total of 24 minutes, which was his longest playing time of the season. On the other hand, the flash that he exhibited in the beginning of the game cannot be found anywhere.
His only point came from a free throw, and he shot 0 of 6 from the field for the whole game. He was a complete and utter failure. Aside from a single rebound, he was unable to make a significant contribution to the stat sheet.
Davis, on the other hand, did not get down. Steve Lutz, the coach of Oklahoma State, was able to assist by maintaining his faith in Davis as a starter, and his faith was rewarded.
Davis finished with seven points, three assists, four rebounds, and a block in addition to his three-of-five shooting performance from the field. He played for twenty-two minutes.
A fast break layup by the former Hog, which was assisted by Arturo Dean, gave the Cowboys an 80-62 lead with 4 minutes and 23 seconds remaining in the game.
This layup proved to be significant since it turned out to be the final field goal that Oklahoma State would attempt to make while trying to maintain an 85-78 victory.
Following that, Davis finished with eight points on three-of-six shooting, including a pair of three-pointers, two assists, three rebounds, and a steal in only 19 minutes of play despite the fact that he received the starting position. In comparison to his time spent at Arkansas, this is unquestionably a change of pace.
Razorbacks supporters are likely to keep him out of sight and out of mind for the foreseeable future. Despite the fact that the two teams have a tendency to find each other in some way, shape, or form, they will not compete against one another this season unless it is in the NCAA Tournament.
However, this does not imply that fans of Arkansas will not keep an eye on him. When Oklahoma State travels to Allen Fieldhouse to play Kansas, it is likely that Davis will have a large number of old fans tuned in in the hopes of witnessing another great “Devo” performance. This is assuming that Davis is still in good health.
As Davis continues to adjust to the slower pace of life in Stillwater, his life will continue to be quite tranquil until that time comes.
There is a life that is a complete universe away from the lunacy that comes with riding the Muss Bus as a Razorback, which is precisely what was required. Although it is just 185 miles away from Fayetteville, this existence is exactly what was required.