Minnesota Timberwolves: Former Wolf Ricky Davis wins BIG3 awards

Die-hard Minnesota Timberwolves fans will remember the legend of Ricky Davis. The former Wolf is now dominating Ice Cube’s three-on-three league, the BIG3.

Longtime Minnesota Timberwolves executive Kevin McHale wanted the enigmatic Ricky Davis on his team badly during the first part of the ’00s.

First, McHale signed Davis, then just 22 years old, to an offer sheet in restricted free agency during the summer of 2002. Cleveland matched the offer, however, and Davis spent another season and a half with the Cavaliers.

After a trade to the Boston Celtics and parts of three seasons spent there, Davis finally ended up in Minnesota as part of the trade centered around sending Wally Szczerbiak to Beantown.

His time with the Wolves was … not all too different from his time everywhere else. After all, Davis played for six NBA teams, never spending less than parts of two seasons with a club, but never as many as three full seasons. In other words, two seasons was about enough Ricky Buckets for everyone involved.

In Minnesota, Davis scored 17.6 points per game over 117 starts playing alongside Kevin Garnett. He was a talented scorer to be sure, but defense was a major issue.

After wrapping up his career with the Clippers in 2009-10 at the young age of 30, Davis has attempted a few comebacks and played in G League games as recently as 2014. Now, he’s joined Ice Cube’s three-on-three league, the BIG3, which is in its second year of existence.

Davis has continued his scoring ways, but unfortunately for him, his team has had as much success as the NBA squads that he was on. (Davis only played in 11 career playoff games despite averaging 16.3 points per game for his career and playing for six different teams over 12 seasons.)

The Ghost Ballers might have gone just 1-7, but Davis led the entire league in scoring with 137 points on the season, edging out Corey Maggette of the Power by two points. Davis also ranked fifth in assists with 18 in eight games, and tied for eighth in 3-pointers with eight of those, too. Additionally, he was tied with three other players for the lead with three 4-pointers made.

The scoring title may not have been the title that Wrong Way Ricky was striving for — or, it might have been, actually — but at least he got to live up to his Ricky Buckets nickname.

On a positive note, Davis was recognized by the league for winning the BIG Community award.

Here’s what the BIG3’s press release had to say about the award:

"BIG3 has honored Ricky Davis with the inaugural BIG Community Award of his service to local communities with the Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation. Throughout the season, Davis led the charge and was joined by players, coaches, and BIG3 team members in each of the 10 BIG3 cities to make a real difference by visiting homeless shelters and encampments to deliver fresh produce, toiletries, and support to those who need it the most."

Not only did Davis get buckets, but he gave back to the community, too, and that should be applauded. Also, good for the BIG3 to recognize him for his contributions.

Wolves fans: August is almost over, and then things get real. Stay tuned.