"It was pretty tough," Davidson said, adding he might not have made it through if it weren't for the support of those closest to him. "I had family and friends that were by me."

NBA scouts, well-aware of all that Davidson faced, keep close track of the four-season big man.

On one hand, Jazz player personnel director Walt Perrin said, they see three years' worth of steady progression followed by a season of slight decline — and understand how it could happen.

"You know it could be the factors that happened off the court," Perrin said, "and how it has affected his mental frame and (conditioning). You take that into account."

On the other hand, reality is that Davidson's draft stock has taken a hit.

He still should go sometime in the second round, probably earlier rather than later, but likely won't land the automatically guaranteed contract that first-round picks do.

"Because he's had a little decline, and because we're pretty critical as a league when we see guys four years," Perrin said, "it might have hurt him a little bit. But he's a very talented kid."

Strong, too.

Davidson understands his senior year, hurdles aside, wasn't all it might have been.

"I had an up-and-down-type season, so it might have had some effect (on draft worth)," he said. "It showed that I have the skills, (but) I guess I've just got to prove it a little bit more."

There is time for that.

Davidson's road has hardly wound to a close.

He knows, and proceeds accordingly.

"It's not over with," the 22-year-old said. "I think I'll deal with it my whole life. But I find ways to cope with it, so you've just got to play it by ear."

For further support, during occasional dry days and the many that are wet, Davidson listens for hope in the memory of two loved-ones lost.

"I thrive off of them," he said.

"I'm the type of person who tries to find out the positives in a situation," Davidson added, "So if I keep working, if I keep going hard, I'll find a way to make this something positive."

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com