You want to know what happens when you disrespect a superstar?

Anthony Davis just showed you.

Forty-two points. Dropped on the New Orleans Pelicans, the team that drafted him, the team he won with, the team that refused to give him a tribute video on his return.

And after the game, AD made it crystal clear: "After no tribute, that door is closed."

The door to ever playing in New Orleans again? Slammed shut. Thanks for the memories, Pelicans. Hope it was worth it.

Let's back up for a second. Anthony Davis spent the first seven years of his career with the Pelicans. He made All-Star teams. He put the franchise on the map. He carried them to playoff runs.

Sure, he forced his way out. Sure, the ending was messy. But that happens in the NBA. Players want to play for contenders. Teams trade them. It's business.

But usually, when a franchise player returns, you show some respect. You put together a tribute video. You acknowledge what they did for your organization. You let the fans applaud them one more time.

The Pelicans said no.

And Anthony Davis took it personally.

You could see it in the way he played. This wasn't just another game. This was targeted aggression. This was a man with something to prove, with a point to make, with a grudge to settle.

Forty-two points. He scored from everywhere. Post-ups. Face-ups. Free throws. He dominated a game against his former team in a way that screamed "You're going to remember what you gave up."

After the game, Davis didn't hold back: "I was pissed off that they didn't give me a tribute video."

You think?

He went on to say he'd been open to possibly returning to New Orleans later in his career. Maybe finishing where he started. Maybe giving the fans one more run.

Not anymore. That door is closed.

The Pelicans had a chance to be classy. They had a chance to separate the messy ending from the seven good years. They had a chance to honor what Davis meant to their franchise.

Instead, they chose pettiness. And it cost them any shot at ever getting him back.

Look, I get both sides of this. Davis forced a trade. He made it clear he didn't want to be there anymore. That hurt New Orleans. It hurt the organization, hurt the fans, hurt the city that had embraced him.

But holding a grudge years later? Refusing to acknowledge his contributions? That's small-minded.

The Cleveland Cavaliers gave LeBron James a tribute video when he came back after leaving them twice. The Toronto Raptors honored Kawhi Leonard even though he left after one year. The Boston Celtics gave Kyrie Irving a tribute despite everything that went down.

You do it because it's the right thing. You do it because the player earned it with their performance, regardless of how things ended.

The Pelicans chose differently. And now they're dealing with the consequences.

Davis saying that door is closed isn't just about a potential return years from now. It's about relationships. It's about how the league sees you. It's about whether other players want to come to your organization.

If I'm a free agent considering New Orleans, I'm watching this. I'm seeing how they treated their franchise player. And I'm noting it.

Forty-two points is a statement. But the real statement came after the game, when Davis made it clear he felt disrespected.

That's not a word players use lightly. Disrespected means you crossed a line. Disrespected means there's no going back.

The Pelicans had years to make this right. They could have given him a tribute the first time he returned. They could have done it the second time. They could have done it last night.

Instead, they did nothing. And Anthony Davis responded the only way he knows how - by dominating.

There's something beautiful about this, in a twisted sports kind of way. The Pelicans tried to erase him, and he responded by being impossible to ignore. He made sure every person in that arena, every person watching at home, remembered exactly what New Orleans gave up.

This is prime Anthony Davis. Healthy, motivated, locked in. He's one of the best two-way players in basketball when he's clicking. And last night, he was clicking because the Pelicans made him click.

If I'm the Pelicans front office, I'm regretting this decision. Not just because of the 42 points, but because of the bridge they just burned.

Davis is 31. He's got years left in the tank. Could he have come back to New Orleans at age 35, 36 for one last run? Given the fans a proper ending?

Now we'll never know. Because the Pelicans couldn't swallow their pride for 90 seconds of video.

The Lakers are loving this, by the way. Davis is their guy now. He's motivated their guy. Angry, disrespected, ready-to-prove-something Davis is exactly what they need heading into the playoffs.

Forty-two points. No tribute video. A door permanently closed.

The Pelicans made their choice. Anthony Davis made his response.

And folks, revenge never tasted so sweet.

That's what sports is all about, folks.