The Golden State Warriors have one of the most underrated young cores in the NBA, featuring rising stars Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. Big man Trayce Jackson-Davis is another young player emerging through the Warriors’ ranks. Trayce has overcome adversity to get to where he is, including undergoing two major surgeries under the age of six.
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Jackson-Davis wasn’t a troublesome child, but he was a curious kid. When he was 4, Trayce found a resistance band under his parents’ bed. His first instinct, like any child, was to play with it.
Although he didn’t know the band’s true purpose, it looked like it would make for a fun experience. Little Trayce tied a toy dinosaur to one end of the band and attached the rubber cord around the handle of a door. As he stretched it toward the bedpost, the metal handle snapped off and went flying into his forehead, resulting in an experience that was anything but fun.
Blood gushed from a massive gash on Trayce’s forehead, and his family rushed him to emergency care. Multiple scans revealed an open skull fracture. Doctors informed his mother that the metal hit her son’s head with the velocity of a gunshot. Doctors immediately performed a seven-hour surgery. Jackson-Davis made a full recovery but encountered more trauma two years later.
At the age of 6, Trayce happened to be playing with his best friend, who accidentally hit him in the face with a golf club. The impact of the hit destroyed Jackson-Davis’ cheekbone and broke an orbital bone. Doctors had to implant a titanium screw, which remains in place to this day.
Trayce’s family and health professionals worried whether Jackson-Davis would ever live a normal life, much less become an NBA player. His sister, Arielle, stated her brother is, “A walking miracle.” The series of childhood events led Trayce to come out stronger than ever.
Jackson-Davis attended Mater Dei High School and returned to his hometown of Indianapolis to play college ball at Indiana University. His life hit a high once he heard his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft. Everything he had endured up to that point was worth it for that moment. However, it wasn’t the end of his journey by any means.
Jackson-Davis continues to earn everything in his career
Coming out of Indiana, Jackson-Davis wasn’t the most sought-after prospect. Despite his father being one-time All-Star Dale Davis, Trayce wasn’t a shoo-in. Plenty of mock drafts didn’t even include his name. However, the Warriors selected Jackson-Davis as the 57th pick in 2023. That spot originally belonged to the Wizards, but was added as a piece of the Jordan Poole-Chris Paul trade.
There weren’t many expectations, since Golden State famously doesn’t utilize big men. But Jackson-Davis made a strong impression on head coach Steve Kerr every time he stepped on the court. In the fourth game of his rookie season, Jackson-Davis earned 19 minutes. In his increased playing time, he finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Following that performance, Trayce made serious noise on the Warriors’ radar. It wasn’t until mid-December of 2023, that he became a full-time member of the team’s rotation. That trust and faith from the coaching staff has carried over into the 2024-25 NBA season.
Jackson-Davis has played in 49 of the Warriors’ 55 games, starting in 37. Jackson-Davis is expected to help spearhead the team’s youth movement once Stephen Curry retires. In 18.5 minutes per game, he is averaging 7.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 57% shooting from the field. His consistent efforts on a night-in-night-out basis have earned him a spot in the Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend.
Jackson-Davis has overcome tremendous obstacles and adversity not just to become an NBA player but to become an impactful participant on a team competing for a playoff spot. Jackson-Davis is only 24 years old and has his entire career ahead of him. The rising star has shown at every stage of his life that he continues to beat the odds.
