Sporting Kansas City signed defender Jake Davis as a Homegrown Player in August 2021 as the 19th Homegrown Player to emerge from the Sporting Kansas City Academy. He made his first-team debut in the 4-0 victory over Minnesota United on Sept. 15, 2021 and earned his first MLS start on April 29, 2023 in a home match against Montreal. Davis enjoyed a breakout 2023 campaign and became a key contributor in 2024, scoring the first three goals of his MLS career and earning team MVP honors at the conclusion of the season.
Davis spent significant time developing with Sporting KC II under former Sporting greats Paulo Nagamura and Benny Feilhaber from 2019-2022 before breaking out with the first team in early 2023, switching from central midfield to right back and helping the team post a 12-7-5 record in the 24 regular-season matches he started.
A native of Rochester, Michigan, Davis moved to Kansas City in 2017 at age 15 to join the Sporting KC Academy. He represented Sporting at the U-17 and U-19 levels, amassing eight goals across 54 appearances in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
PROFESSIONAL
2024: Continued his rise as a key contributor for Sporting KC, making 34 appearances in all competitions and tallying a team-high eight assists along with the first three goals of his MLS career. Davis, who shifted from right back to central midfield halfway through the season, was named Sporting KC MVP at the conclusion of the campaign and ranked second among all outfield players on the team with 2,772 minutes played in all competitions, only trailing Erik Thommy (2,937). MLS Regular Season: Started 25 of 27 appearances, tallying three goals and five assists. Tallied an assist on the game-winning goal in the 2-1 home victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on March 16 before tallying an assist and scoring the first goal of his MLS career with the game-winner in the 3-1 road win over Toronto FC on March 30. Scored a stunner from distance in the 3-2 road loss to Austin FC on May 18 - a goal nominated for MLS Goal of the Year - before tallying a the game-winning goal and another assist in the 3-0 home victory over Orlando City SC on Aug. 24. Tallied another assist and was shown the first red card of his MLS career in the 1-1 road draw with the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 7 before recording his final assist of the campaign in the 3-1 road loss to St. Louis on Sept. 28. Open Cup: Started four of five appearances in Sporting's run to the Open Cup Final, tallying a team-best three assists in the competititon. Recorded an assist on the opening goal in the 2-1 home win over FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals on July 10 before assisting on both goals in the 2-0 home victory over Indy Eleven in the Semifinals on Aug. 27. Started and played the opening 106 minutes of the 3-1 extra time road defeat in the Final at LAFC on Sept. 25. Leagues Cup: Started one of two appearances, logging 135 minutes.
2023: Enjoyed a breakout season with the Sporting KC first team, making 35 appearances across all competitions and tallying two assists. Was named the club's Defensive Player of the Year. MLS Regular Season: Started 24 of 26 games, including 20 straight from May 28 through the end of the regular season. Helped the team post a 12-7-5 record in the 24 matches that he started. Made his season debut as a late substitute in the 4-1 loss to Seattle on March 25 before earning his first start in the 2-0 setback against Montreal on April 29. Recorded his first MLS assist in the 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake on July 12 before adding another on the game-winning goal against rivals St. Louis on Sept. 2. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started all four matches as Sporting knocked off San Jose and St. Louis before falling to Houston in the Western Conference Semifinals. Open Cup: Started one of two matches, earning his first senior minutes at right back in the 3-0 win over Tulsa Athletic in the Third Round on April 25. Leagues Cup: Started all three matches, logging 237 minutes as Sporting advanced out of group play. MLS NEXT Pro: Started two of three appearances for Sporting KC II early in 2023, playing 189 minutes.
2022: Made four appearances in all competititons for the first team but spent the majority of the season with Sporting KC II In MLS NEXT Pro. MLS Regular Season: Made three appearances (15 minutes played). US Open Cup: Started one appearance (61 minutes played). Started in Sporting KC's extra time, comeback victory against FC Dallas in the Open Cup Round of 32 on May 10. MLS NEXT Pro: Started 12 of 13 appearances and scored twice (1026 minutes played). Led all first-team loanees in games started, games played, minutes played and goals scored. Scored the leveling goal in a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps 2 on May 29. Score the first of five goals against Colorado Rapids 2 on Sept. 5.
2021: Signed a first team contract as the 19th Homegrown Player to sign with Sporting Kansas City out of the Academy on Aug. 19. MLS Regular Season: Debuted for the club as a late-match substitute on Sept. 15 in a 4-0 win against Minnesota United. MLS Cup Playoffs: Did not feature. USL Championship: Started 21 of 26 appearances, scoring two goals and racking up a team-high six assists.
2020: Spent much of preseason with the Sporting Kansas City first team before signing his first professional contract with Sporting II before the restart of the season in July. Played in all 15 games after the restart, starting 14 and tallying one assist. His assist came in the only game he came off the bench, where he recorded the game-winning assist in a 2-1 road win over Louisville City FC (July 29).
2019: Davis spent the first leg of preseason with Sporting Kansas City in Arizona. Joined Sporting KC II on an Academy contract and made five appearances throughout the season, tallying two assists. Davis made his professional debut against Bethlehem Steel FC at Children’s Mercy Park on April 6, starting and recording an assist in a 4-3 loss. Davis’ other assist came on the road against Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 16 in an eventful 29-minute appearance as a substitute, as he first scored an own goal to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead, before earning a penalty that was missed and eventually setting up Wilson Harris for a late consolation goal.
ACADEMY
Davis is originally from Michigan but moved to Kansas City to join the Sporting KC Academy in 2017 and lived with a host family through the club’s residency program. He made 54 appearances for the Academy’s Under-17 and Under-19 squads over three seasons, tallying eight goals from central midfield.
INTERNATIONAL
Davis was called up as an alternate player for the United States Under-23 National Team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, spending a month training with the team. Davis previously joined the Under-17 National Team for the 19th annual Nike International Friendlies at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida in November 2019.
