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PROVO — Kyle Davis never thought his career would end this way.
The forward from Alta High School wasn’t planning on wearing street clothes for senior night Saturday, Feb. 18th against St. Mary’s.
“It’s much different than I had always imagined it, having had my season cut short with this knee injury,” Davis said.
Davis worked hard in the off-season with temmates Eric Mika and Yoeli Childs to improve his game and lead this young team. He took fewer classes, didn’t take a job and hit the gym hard.
“I mean I just really devoted everything to basketball,” said the lithe, 6’ 8” player who also spent time at Southern Utah and Utah State. “I had big plans. I had hope to have a great season and play really well…and compliment Eric (Mika) in the post and help our team. But it just wasn’t in the cards.”
The first bad card he was dealt came before the season even started. His right knee started hurting about 3 weeks before the Cougars played their first game against Princeton.
“As an athlete, you’re used to things hurting,” Davis said. “So we shut me down for a week to try and see if it would heal.
The knee started to feel better, but then it ballooned about a week before the start of the season. Doctors drained the swollen knee and gave him a cortisone shot, but it started hurting again about 2 weeks later. Then right after the loss to UVU, a magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed he had damaged the cartilage in the knee.
Davis tried to play through the pain, but it finally came to an end in Chicago.
“(Against) Illinois, Coach (Rose) subbed me out and I kind of realized it was over,” Davis said. “I was no longer an asset to him, I couldn’t help my team. I was in substantial pain and it was a sad time.”
This was not how it was supposed to end; having surgery and watching his team struggle without the senior captain’s leadership.
“I wanted to win a championship because we had not done it in the WCC,” Davis said. “There were all these things that I had worked so hard for and as a team we had worked so hard for and it seemed like we were a family. It was pretty crushing to know that it was coming to an end.”
Davis had no anger — just sadness for a dream unfulfilled. That lasted about two weeks.
That’s because Davis’ team and family wouldn’t allow him to stay down. Coaches and players constantly reached out to him before and after his knee surgery, wanting to know how he was doing. He’s also grateful for his wife and his 7-month-old son of whom he said “It’s hard to be disappointed and sad when he’s around.”
Davis is still part of the team, but now his role has changed. Instead of helping out on the court, he’s trying to influence them in the locker room and give them advice during the games.
“Not only are we teammates, but we are good friends on this team,” Davis said. “So, it’s not weird for us to have a conversation or give them something during the games that can help them or encourage them if they are feeling down. To that extent, I try to help out the best I can.”
Davis still gets frustrated that he can’t help his teammates now that he is off crutches. But he also knows it’s time to move on to the next part of his life, which includes graduation and working at a consulting firm.
Saturday’s senior night is not how Davis imagined it would be when he arrived at BYU. He says it will be bittersweet and fulfilling to stand on the court one last time and be honored.
But it hasn't been without merit.
“I learned perspective and patience," Davis said. "It taught me how to overcome adversity and move on with a positive attitude.”
Maybe Davis’ college basketball career finished the way it was supposed to end.
