New Orleans  Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis now weighs 253 pounds after bulking up during the summer, way up from the 222 pounds he carried at the draft combine.

Strength and conditioning coach Jason Sumerlin said Davis has been lifting weights and has grown stronger than he's ever been, SB Nation reported.

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Davis has also been eating healthy, which has allowed him to maintain 10 percent body fat.

There were questions early in Davis' career whether he could handle bigger players due to his slight frame and is now trying to address that issue.

However, it remains to be seen if Davis can carry the extra weight while remaining one of the NBA's most mobile and athletic big men and without losing his explosiveness.

If he continues with his efforts and shows he could carry the added weight with ease, he could soon bang bodies with the likes of Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan.

He could be a bigger matchup nightmare if he could force his way inside and take more close range shots near the basket, rather than focusing on mid-range jumpers.

Even before news of his bulking up, he is already being tabbed as an MVP favorite.

But Davis is not stopping there.

The Pelicans superstar has been working on his 3-pointer and has grown very confident in it, especially with coach Alvin Gentry prompting him to shoot more of it.  

According to NBC Sports, Davis said that while he loves playing down low, he would shoot more 3-pointers if the opportunity present itself.

Many of his fans are waiting to see whether he could in fact edge out the likes of  LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and James Harden as the league's best player. 

TagsNew Orleans Pelicans, NBA power forward, Anthony Davis