Good luck finishing on the break when playing opposite Daquan Davis.
Providence’s sophomore point guard, who transferred in from Florida State in the spring, was a top 100 player following a high school career that spanned a pair of DMV powerhouses and a stint with Overtime Elite. He was a big-time scorer at OTE, averaging 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, while shooting 46% from three — but if you stepped foot into Providence’s gym this summer, his edginess and defensive aggression stood out most.
It can’t be a comfortable experience going up against Davis. He’s a tad undersized but gets into ball handlers, and if you have a few steps on him on a break, there’s a good chance he’s going to catch up and you’ll end up on your back.
If the Providence staff had it their way, Davis would be entering his second season as a Friar. He was the first player to commit to PC in the class of 2024, but he eventually de-committed in the fall of his senior year and pledged to FSU.
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The Seminoles had a somewhat trying season in 2024-25, with Leonard Hamilton’s career wrapping up and the team finishing ninth in a down ACC. Davis gained considerable experience, starting 20 of 31 games, while scoring 8.8 points and coming up with 1.1 steals in 25 minutes a night.
The raw numbers are solid, but his efficiency wasn’t where Kim English and staff will likely want it to be as he continues to progress. Davis shot 36% from the field and 28% beyond the arc, while making 82% of his free throws.
Let’s dig deeper into Daquan Davis — what made him a top 100 recruit, his potential impact as a sophomore, and what he could potentially develop into as a guard in the Big East.
A Decorated, Well-traveled High School Career
Davis played against the best of the best during both his high school and grassroots campaigns.
He also won at a very high clip.
He led Team Takeover to the Peach Jam 16U title in 2022, burying four 3-pointers and scoring a team-high 19 points in a win over a NY Rens team featuring Dylan Harper, the second pick in June’s NBA Draft.
After transferring from St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) to St. John’s College High School in Washington D.C., Davis led St. John’s to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship victory over a St. Paul VI team ranked in the top five in the country at the time. He scored a team-high 21 points in the title game, including a layup with three seconds left to cap the 65-63 win.
His final year of high school was one of transition. Davis left Nike’s best grassroots program in Team Takeover to join Derik Queen and Team Thrill on the Under Armour Circuit. Thrill made it to the UAA semifinals before falling to Ryan Mela and the Middlesex Magic, but enacted a measure of revenge by taking home the title at the Sportradar Showdown in Nevada a few weeks later — gaining wins over New England clubs Middlesex Magic and Mass Rivals along the way.
Davis was set to return to St. Frances for his final year of high school, but pivoted to Overtime Elite, where he put up terrific numbers against elite competition.
A binge scorer and tough competitor, he was ranked 93rd by 247 Sports and 106th by On3.com in the class of 2024.
What It Looked Like at FSU
Davis plays with aggression on both ends of the floor. Despite his size, Davis fearlessly drew contact against ACC bigs. On tape, he can be seen throwing his body into larger defenders on drives with consistency.
Like many young guards adjusting to the speed of high major basketball, Davis did not shoot the ball efficiently at FSU, as his numbers and shot charts reflect:
He scored an ACC-high 18 points against Syracuse on Jan. 4, thanks in large part to a 10-10 effort at the free throw line. Davis also scored in double figures (10 points in 23 minutes) against eventual national champion Florida.
Defensively, he had five games of 3+ steals, and opponents didn’t take advantage of him in isolation, shooting just 3-15.
What’s Next at Providence?
Friar fans should love the tenacity with which Davis plays. He’s a blur with the ball in his hands, is developing in terms of playing with pace, and can make up 15-20 feet in transition in a heartbeat.
For a Providence team that didn’t play with the necessary edge last season, Davis’ approach figures to be part of the remedy. This is a competitive player.
It will be interesting to see how much more efficient Davis can become offensively as his career progresses. Dan Hurley talks constantly about why he prefers having taller point guards, but countless smaller guards have had a big impact at the collegiate level. One of Kim English’s mentors, Tad Boyle at Colorado, has had great success with point guards 6 feet and under.
Providence figures to lean heavily on another small guard this season in Vanderbilt transfer Jason Edwards, so it’ll be interesting to see how and when they incorporate Davis into the rotation. His defense will get him on the court, but how many minutes he sees could be dictated by improvements in his offensive numbers. He could also be the future at point guard for this program beyond next year.
Davis arrives at Providence with ACC experience and defensive toughness, and next we’ll see if the offensive outbursts and winning ways at the prep and grassroots level translate in the Big East.
Davis joined The Friar Podcast over the summer to talk about his journey to Providence: