Malik Davis doesn’t look like your average underdog. At first glance, a young man standing at six-foot-five, with long arms and athleticism most could only dream of, is more of a basketball Goliath than a David.

Learn a little about his journey, though, and you’ll see a player that’s been underestimated for years. He grew up with dreams of playing professionally, and the pathway to get there is well established – star for your club, represent your state, and put yourself on the radar early. Instead, he was overlooked often, first missing selection for his club’s top-grade side as a youngster, then missing out on state team honours every year up until this past April.

Why was that the case? Looking back now, there’s an obvious reason that Davis is honest in recognising.

“Other guys were definitely better than me.”

Now, the 18-year-old is proof of just how quickly things can change. After finally breaking through and starring at this year’s Under-20 National Championships, a whirlwind recruitment has seen him commit to play for the Davidson Wildcats in the NCAA. In a matter of weeks he’ll be in North Carolina, playing at a high-profile school, following in the footsteps of his basketball idol, and on the path towards his ultimate goal of going pro.

It’s been a rapid rise, but it’s also deserved reward for a player that has been willing to outwork everyone along the way. “Being overlooked was probably just because of that lack of skill at that time compared to everyone else my age,” he said, “and that was ok, because it was something I could fix and get better at.”

Davis’ climb through the ranks, from fringe junior to DI commit, might seem sudden; in reality, it’s the result of a mountain of hard work over the years. That started with his junior club Geelong United, where he once missed selection in their top Under-14 side but continued to grow, even as he was overlooked for Victoria’s Under-16 and Under-18 state teams.

Credit: Lawrence Surgers | @pics.by.tre

It continued at Western Heights College, a government school in Geelong with a dedicated basketball program, designed to support talented athletes while they study. It’s that school environment that Davis credits with taking his game to the next level in recent years. Playing under Ash Arnott, the head coach of the Keilor Thunder men’s side and previously with Australia’s junior national teams, the daily training sessions and high-level competition fed his desire to improve. “That sort of group around me really supported me and helped me, and that was pretty big for my development and getting better,” he said.

“Yes, I was overlooked, but there were definitely people that saw that I could be great and took me in to build me up.”

Even with their support, there were challenges along the way. Most notable was a horror year in 2020, where the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was added to a foot injury that kept him sidelined for six months. Those already in the state pathways held their place among the chaos; those stuck on the outside had less and less opportunities to break in, with Davis’ injury pushing him even further back in the pecking order.

“It was definitely hard, mentally frustrating, seeing everyone else up above,” he said of that time. “A lot of people at that age would give up and quit… I thought, no, I’m going to stay true to it and not give up, play basketball and stick to it and just try to get better.”

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