Daquan Davis eventually found his way to Friartown, although in a more circuitous manner than most Friar fans would have liked. After committing to PC out of high school, the DMV product Davis decommitted and signed with Florida State.
Davis had success as a Seminole in his one year at Tallahassee, but decided to transfer after his freshman year. That coincided with Leonard Hamilton resigning.
With Davis now in the fold as an undergrad transfer, Providence now should have their heir apparent at the point guard position for the next few years. Davis has three years of eligibility entering this season and should play the role in 2025-2026 of first guard off the bench behind Jason Edwards and Corey Floyd Jr. While his future role appears (as of this writing) to be pretty obvious, it will be very intriguing to see how large of a role Davis will play this year.
Below, we will recap the freshman year of Davis, expectations for Daquan his first year in Friartown, and what would constitute a successful year.
2024-2025 Recap
In his true freshman year at Florida State, Daquan started 20 of 31 games, averaging 9 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals a game. Davis was a key cog for Florida State, leading the team in assists, third in points, and third in steals. It’s rare to see a true freshman make this type of impact at a high major level.
Daquan wasn’t too effective from the floor, however, averaging 36.1% and 27.9% from 3. This will be a key area of improvement for Davis heading into his sophomore season.
While Davis is undersized, he plays bigger than his listed size. He isn’t afraid to mix it up in the paint and will sometimes seek out contact.
Role for 2025-2026 Friars
This may just be me talking, but I think the addition and potential impact of Davis has been somewhat overlooked due to the additions of some other more well known portal players like Jason Edwards and Jaylin Sellers. While I don’t expect Davis to start Day 1, there is a world where English becomes enamored with his defensive abilities and inserts him into the starting five to set the tone from the onset of the game.
Davis needs to be more efficient from the floor, and I think he will be just for the fact that he has another year of college basketball under his belt. This is a guy who started 20 games in the ACC as a true freshman and should acclimate to the gritty Big East nicely. His play style and the way he carries himself will endear him to Friar fans.
Keys to a Successful Season
- Bring the Intensity – Daquan can absolutely be the tone setter that Providence so desperately lacked last year with his tenacious defense and fiery personality. He carries himself on the court with an edge, like he perpetually has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. This type of energy is contagious, and I truly hope the rest of the team follows in his footsteps. If he can be this player consistently, he will force the issue and get himself ample playing time. English has long stated he wants players who get after it on the defensive end, and Davis seems most inclined to be this guy.
- Be THE Defensive stopper – If the opposing team has Davis scouted as Providence’s top defender and a player that causes havoc, Davis has done his job this season. You ideally want Davis to influence the game without having to score the ball. PC has enough scorers. They need more players like Davis who can shut down an opposing offense. Be a John Linehan-lite (sorry for the Linehan comp, Daquan. No pressure.).
- Glimpses of being “The Guy” for the Future – Davis ultimately needs to show signs of becoming a well-rounded point guard so that Kim can give him the keys to the car next year without hesitancy or reservation. After Jayden Pierre’s sophomore year, English made a calculated bet that Pierre would take the jump and be the guy as an upperclassmen. For what it’s worth, I similarly thought Pierre would make this leap. It didn’t happen though. English will be evaluating Davis this year not just for his effectiveness in 2025-2026, but if he can run the show next year. It’s a big year for Davis.
Estimated minutes per game: I’ll go with 17-20 minutes a game. He can force his way into more minutes if he proves to be an elite defender. There’s a niche here that is his for the taking.
Summary
My bias is going to show here, but I think Davis is the early frontrunner for “my guy” heading into 2025-2026. While I don’t foresee him starting 20 games for the Friars like he did last year for the Seminoles, I do think he’ll win a game or two for the Friars due to his defensive prowess. If Davis can lean into this defensive stopper role, he’ll be an integral reason the Friars have success this year. I’m excited to FINALLY see Daquan don the black and white.
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