ONSTED, Mich. — Austin Davis made a name for himself at Onsted High School on the hardwood. From there he went on to play at Michigan.
But now he's back for the Wildcats as an assistant coach. It's taken some getting used to being on the bench instead of out on the court.
"I almost get more nervous coaching than I have ever playing," said Austin Davis. "I love forming the relationships with the guys and feeling their pain when something doesn't go our way or getting to share in the excitement when something does. Those are really the most rewarding times."
When you look out onto the court... there's a player that immediately catches your eye. Number 51, a 6'9" center all over the boards. A quick glance at the roster shows that's sophomore Ayden Davis. Yes, Austin's little brother. But Ayden is forging his own path.
"He's definitely not Austin Davis' brother. He's very much his own person" said Austin. "You ask anybody that has known us for long enough, known our family for long enough that we are two completely different people. Two completely different personalities. At the end of the day, he's the one that's put in the work. I've had the chance to work with him, to give him some tips and tricks, and stuff here and there, work on his fundamentals. But at the end of the day, he has put in the work and I have no doubt that he's going to continue to do that and I sincerely hope that he surpasses what I've been able to accomplish."
"It's awesome because he's been D-I, he's seen all these teams, so he knows what he's talking about," said Ayden Davis. "He's my position so he obviously knows what my position's about and what I need to do. So he's just helping me about little things in life and little things in basketball."
Austin has been there, done that. The knowledge that he brings to this team is not only helping Ayden but the rest of the guys so that they can bring plenty more wins back to their tiny town of Onsted.