Photo: Davante Is Shedding The Pounds!

[TallTitan34]

Props to Davante and Todd Smith for getting trim!

[Skatastrophy]

Wow, talk about a transformation!

[MUWarrior4Life]

Now that is great!!! Good Luck during season Davante!!! Time 2 takeover the BEAST!!!

[77ncaachamps]

I wonder if he can play TE or DL in the NFL!

[MUMac]

Buzz has one open scholarship.  After seeing what Todd Smith has done for Gardner, I wonder if Buzz would let me take the extra scholarship.  I definitely could use the body transition!   

[BubbaWilliams]

My first thought was "why is Dwight Burke wearing one of the new uniforms?"
He looks great! He must have busted his @$$ to lose that weight. He already had good footwork, now with added speed and conditioning he could be great. Good for you Ox!

[RyanConroy]

He looks great around campus. Can't wait to see that touch under the hoop in a few months.

[Henry Sugar]

Gardner is The Unstoppable Force of Nature (TUFON)

[rocky_warrior]

Gardner is The Unstoppable Force of Nature (TUFON)

So now all we need is another recruit to call the "unmovable object of nature", and we'd be all good.

[Slim]

(UMOON)?

[Bocephys]

(UMOON)?

The students would love cheering for and re-enacting that nickname.

[Hards Alumni]

While I am happy he lost all the weight, I am slightly concerned that he won't be able to 'sway the pile' like he used to.  Strength is great, but bulk is also good... especially in college basketball.

[AZWarrior]

Which version of Charles Barkley was more effective.   The round mound of re-bound or the "pro" version?   

I'll take the current version of Davante.  I'm really looking forward to seeing him play!

[StillAWarrior]

Which version of Charles Barkley was more effective.   The round mound of re-bound or the "pro" version?   

I'll take the current version of Davante.  I'm really looking forward to seeing him play!

It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.  I'd prefer a fit, cut version.  He still going to be big, but he's going to be a lot stronger, a lot faster and have much greater stamina.  He looks great.  I'm also anxious to see him on the floor (perhaps for more than a couple minutes at a time).

[Bocephys]

It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.  I'd prefer a fit, cut version.  He still going to be big, but he's going to be a lot stronger, a lot faster and have much greater stamina.  He looks great.  I'm also anxious to see him on the floor (perhaps for more than a couple minutes at a time).

Agreed.  Plus, he'll be a better rebounder if he can actually jump off of the floor a little bit.

[boyonthedock]

all else being equal, it means he can be on the court more, which is crucial

[brewcity77]

While I am happy he lost all the weight, I am slightly concerned that he won't be able to 'sway the pile' like he used to.  Strength is great, but bulk is also good... especially in college basketball.

Take it for what it's worth...in the Pro-Am, he still had plenty of bulk force and strength. He's probably still 6'9" and 265. I just went through the rosters of all returning players in the Big East next year per ESPN and the only player with more weight than the projected 265 of Gardner is Deniz Kilicli at West Virginia (listed at 6'9", 270).

When it comes to having enough bulk to hold his own, use power in the post, and generally be a brute in the middle, Gardner shouldn't have any trouble at his current size, and considering there's likely a lot more muscle there than there was a year ago, I expect he'll be able to have his way more often than he did in 2010-11.

[BrewCity83]

Even slimmed down, it looks like he still has plenty of junk in the trunk.  That will help in taking up space down low.

[GGGG]

While I am happy he lost all the weight, I am slightly concerned that he won't be able to 'sway the pile' like he used to.  Strength is great, but bulk is also good... especially in college basketball.

Lighter and stronger is always better than heavier and flabby.

[downtown85]

Lighter and stronger is always better than heavier and flabby.

Often when muscle is replacing the flab, there is not much weight loss.  I wonder what Davante really weighs nowadays.

I'm really excited if he can get a bit more lift.  Also, if his stamina has improved, this could be a special year.   

[MUMac]

!

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

Big boy no homo

[alexius23]

I can remember Daemon (sic) Key talking about losing weight for his senior year. He returned heavier than before & I think hurt him in the long run

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I've heard a lot of worried comments about Devante since he joined MU that he needs to watch what he eats and get into better shape.  I am not worried.  Over the last couple of years he has lost probably 75 lbs.  His stamina also dramatically increased from just last summer.  Devante has shown that he wants to get into better shape and he has done it.  Clearly,  he needs to continue to get into better shape,  but I don't think he is as far away as others.  After all,  he is not called the "Ox" because he just some big fat guy....he has a ton of muscle!  I think he is going to be light years ahead of where he was last year when the season begins.  With the amazing progress he has made since high school,  I see in his future the distinction of becoming MU's all-time greatest athletic improvement.  Mark it down,  the "Ox" is going to become a beastly Minotaur!

That is a TON of work put in to transform his body like that! Big props to him!  MU is going to exceed expectations this year with Davante 2.0.....