BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — The wedding took place in Jim and Cori Davison's backyard in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Their youngest daughter Angie exchanged vows with Bridge Tusler in front of 65 friends and family, all socially distanced and well under state guidelines for outdoor gatherings (250 people max).
Among the witnesses were Angie's older sister Stephanie — who's married to Baltimore Ravens linebacker L.J. Fort — and her younger brother Brad Davison, who's going into his senior year at Wisconsin and couldn't stop smiling because everything fell into place so flawlessly and beautifully.
"It was awesome," he reported. "Super, super special."
While Angie and Bridge, the head basketball coach at Monticello (Minn.) High School, went on their honeymoon, the rest of the Davison clan traveled to International Falls ("My pops grew up there," Brad noted) and vacationed at the family cabin on Rainy Lake, which borders the U.S. and Canada.
There was no cell service, but plenty of good conversation. Especially between Brad and his brother-in-law L.J., a seven-year NFL veteran. They hashed over a number of timely subjects not the least of which was the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their respective sports and seasons.
"We talked about how much uncertainty comes with it all," Davison said of the unanswered questions tied to COVID-19. "I know he's really looking forward to getting back with his team. They have a lot of new guys this year and he's excited to develop those relationships and connect with those guys.
"It's very similar to Wisconsin with us having six new freshmen coming in. We're all excited to get back on campus and get into the gym with one another and start developing those relationships. But who knows when that will be? We keep playing it by ear."
The timeline has been fluid and pushed back several times. Right now, Davison is expecting to rejoin his Badger teammates in Madison later this month. Or thereabouts. "Fingers crossed," he stressed, knowing full well that flexibility is an absolute necessity in these very uncertain times.
"Everyone wants to be back in Madison. Everyone wants to be working out in the NJP (Nicholas-Johnson Pavilion) and the Kohl Center and in our weight room. We miss the campus. For all of us, the highlights of our time there, besides on the court, are the summers together in Madison.
"Hanging out with each other. Golfing. Swimming. Playing in open gyms. We kind of got robbed of those moments this summer. And while everyone is kind of upset, there's also a sense of understanding, too. We're all looking forward to getting back."
In the meantime, the players have stayed in touch via Snapchat, FaceTime, Zoom calls.
"We're always in contact," Davison stressed. "Always talking and messin' with each other."
Whether it has been Ben Carlson and Steven Crowl — the Minnesotans in the 2020 recruiting class — or Johnny and Jordan Davis from La Crosse, Wisconsin or Lorne Bowman from Michigan or Carter Gilmore from Hartland, Wis., Davison has made a point of touching base with the UW freshmen via text messages.
"I've tried to reach out to all of them, maybe once every couple of weeks throughout the summer," he said. "I just want to see how workouts are going for them. I want to see how their families are doing. I wished them a happy Fourth (of July), things like that.
"I'm planting a little seed that we can start our relationship on moving forward."
Depending on Minnesota guidelines, Davison is hoping to get into a gym with Carlson and Crowl.
"That would be my goal before I get back to Madison," he said. "Open gyms are starting to pick up a little more around town. If you want to be a part of one, you can find one now. My parents are running a basketball facility here in Maple Grove and they're allowed a percentage of players per court."
It just underlines how every state is operating under different restrictions due to the virus.
At that, Davison has been conscious of wearing a mask in public settings, grocery stores, etc.
"I've been wearing one," he said, "out of respect for others that I may come into contact with."
As far as his level of anticipation for Wisconsin's fall semester and what awaits him on campus and in the community, he admitted, "Your guess is as good as mine as to what that will look like. There will be a lot of hoops to jump through. But we'll be ready to jump through them."
An unwavering mindset has boded well for Davison who has appeared in 97 career games with 93 starts over the last three years. During Wisconsin's eight-game winning streak at the end of the regular season, he had 30 points at Nebraska in mid-February and 20 against Minnesota in early March.
During the last four months at home, Davison has been reshaping his body.
"At first, I had to get pretty creative because there wasn't any weight rooms or gyms to work out at," he said. "We have a Sports Court in our backyard and I got to spend a lot of time out there with my dad early during the COVID quarantine period.
"Then I started going on three-mile runs, two to three times a week, on a trail we have behind our house or around the neighborhood. I've run on soft surfaces, so there was not too much pounding on my legs. I've also jumped rope and done as much hot yoga as I can twice a week in our basement."
The results have been measurable.
"My body feels really, really good," said the 6-foot-3 Davison who has battled a string of physical challenges to stay on the court as a collegian. "I've actually tried to lean out a little bit by losing some weight. Last year, I played at 208 and I'm down to the 200 mark.
"I feel quicker and I'm really looking forward to going against defenses again to see if it translates on the basketball court. I'm pretty sure it will. My mind, my body, my spirit — everything feels refreshed. I'm looking to get back and being able to compete again. I still have that fire in my stomach."
While shooting on his own in his backyard or a gym, he has manufactured a competitive edge.
"You've got to get game-like reps," said Davison, who reached the 1,000-point plateau for his Badger career in late February. "For me, I try to do everything at game speed. I use my imagination and try to imagine that defense is on me. It makes me go a little faster and pushes me a little more."
Maple Grove, a community of 74,000 in Hennepin County, is about a 20-minute drive from 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, the Minneapolis intersection where George Floyd lost his life on May 25. The subsequent racial and social justice demonstrations have had an impact on Davison.
"At first, I kind of took it all in and watched what was going on from a distance," he said. "I've been listening and realizing that I do have a limited perspective on a lot of things that go on in this world and when you have a limited perspective, it creates an opportunity for you to learn. And listen.
"I've tried to reach out to African-American individuals in my life, people near and dear to me, people that I call my brothers, my teammates, my ex-teammates, my old football friends from high school (Davison was a star prep quarterback), my coaches growing up, my brothers-in-law.
"I want to hear their perspective and hear their thoughts and concerns and hear their stories just so I can get more of a grasp on what is going on. It has created an opportunity for intentional conversation that otherwise you'd probably wouldn't have. And it can be uncomfortable sometimes."
In late April, the Davison's had to deal with the loss of a very close family friend, Marty Krueger, a loyal UW booster, who passed away from a heart attack at his Madison home. He was 63. Jim and Cori Davison were scheduled to go on an Alaskan cruise with Marty and his wife Mary in May.
"My parents took that pretty hard — they had gotten really close over the last three years — we all took that pretty hard," Davison said. "I just remember how supportive he always was as a Badger fan, as a person. They were the most genuine people you could ever be around."
The night before most road games, the Davisons and Kruegers usually played cards in the hotel lobby. At some point after the practice or meal, they'd be greeted by Brad and his teammates who would always make sure to stop at their table and say hello.
"My mom has talked to Mary just about every week or every other," Davison said. "When we get back to Madison, my parents always bring the boat and we go fishing on Lake Mendota. We'll have Mary come out on the boat with us and I'm looking forward to seeing her again."
Any return to normalcy would be welcomed, he conceded.
There has been some discussion on starting the college basketball season in October, if at all.
Would an earlier start appeal to Davison?
"Playing basketball would appeal to me," he emphasized. "I don't care when it is. At this rate, I just want to get back in the gym and compete. I just want to wear my Wisconsin jersey and play with my teammates in the Kohl Center. Hopefully with fans. Whether that's October, or whenever, I'm all for it."
Until then, he will keep his fingers crossed.
