By Brian Kopycinski
Edward “Mickey” Davis carved out a respectable basketball career that spanned high school stardom in Western Pennsylvania, collegiate success at Duquesne University, a brief ABA stint, and a solid five-year run in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Rochester, PA native, standing at 6’7” and known for his versatility as a swingman, emerged from humble beginnings. The older brother of longtime Dallas Mavericks point Brad Davis, Mickey was the first in the family to make a name for himself.
Davis’s hardwood journey began at Monaca High, where he dominated as a three-year starter, showcasing his exceptional scoring and rebounding ability. As a senior in 1968, he set the school’s single-season scoring record (515 points) and earned the team’s MVP honors. His standout high school career in a region rich with talent led to his induction into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.
After graduating from Monaca, Davis attended Duquesne on a basketball scholarship, playing three seasons for the Dukes under head coach Red Manning, alongside his cousin Bill Zopf and Aliquippa’s Jarrett Durham. As a swingman, he quickly became a key contributor. Davis led the team in both points (19.1) and rebounds (9.5) per game as a junior. The peak of his college tenure came during that 1970-71 season, where Duquesne compiled a 21-4 record and earned an NCAA Tournament bid. The Dukes, ranked #15 in the final AP Poll, fell in the first round to Penn. Showing great potential, Davis opted to forgo his senior year and turn pro early.
Davis began his professional career with the Pittsburgh Condors for the 1971-72 ABA season. The Condors, formerly the Pipers, had fallen on hard times, years removed from their championship squad that featured Connie Hawkins. Davis played sparingly in his first taste of pro action, appearing in just 23 games as a rookie. While his ABA career was unremarkable, it provided valuable exposure. Davis was later drafted by the Bucks in 1972 in the seventh round, 113th overall. The Bucks, led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, were a powerhouse team that won their first NBA title just a season ago.
Davis contributed as a role player in an elite environment, becoming a valuable depth piece on playoff-contending teams. He spent five seasons with the Bucks, averaging five points and an assist per game. Davis was waived partway through the ‘76-’77 season and later called it a career. He was an effective shooter. For the ‘73-’74 season, he averaged a career best .504 field goal percentage. His best performance in the regular season came on January 6, 1974, against the Washington Bullets at the Capital Centre, when he scored 22 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and added 4 assists filling in for an injured Bob Dandridge.
Davis’s finest moment arrived in the 1974 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. With starting guard Lucius Allen sidelined and Milwaukee’s backcourt struggling against Boston’s defensive pressure, coach Larry Costello shifted the 6’7” Davis to the point, a highly unconventional move. He started all seven games in the series, providing stability to the Bucks’ lineup. The Bucks pushed the Celtics to a decisive Game 7, which Boston won 102-87 at Milwaukee Arena. In Game 6, a Bucks win at Boston Garden, Davis scored 12 points, helping force the series finale. Though Milwaukee fell short in their pursuit of a second title, Davis held his own, averaging 11.3 points in the classic that featured several Hall of Fame talents.
After his NBA career, Davis worked as a regional sales manager for the Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company. Though his career lacked the longevity of his brother Brad’s, Mickey Davis played meaningful minutes at the highest level alongside legends like Kareem and Oscar Robertson. His story remains a point of pride in Beaver County. Today, Mickey and his wife, Linda, reside in Florida, enjoying their retirement. They have four children.