NBA.com: But there is no question who the first pick of the Draft will be -- Davis, the.freshman sensation from Kentucky who led the Wildcats to the NCAA national championship and whose defensive skills have every lottery team from 1 to 14 dreaming about the possibilities of putting Davis in the home white next season. He jump-starts every team's rebuilding process and accelerates most to the point where making the playoffs becomes the expected outcome going forward.
NBC Sports: But [what position] does a guy with [Anthony Davis'] skill set fit in the NBA? The correct answer is “anywhere he wants.”
Sports Illustrated: Kentucky's Anthony Davis, in case you hadn't heard, is in a class by himself in this draft ... As if his top-dog status hasn't been established already, I spoke with another general manager to inquire about Davis' incredible potential. To review, my May 1 report had executives comparing Davis not only to Blake Griffin but also to future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett. Sure enough, the consensus continues. "He could be every bit as good as KG," the GM said. "KG, [Tim] Duncan -- that's this guy's upside. There's no telling how good this guy is going to be." ... "He'll start doing things in a couple of years, and you'll be like, 'Wow,' " he said.
Sports Illustrated: "He's (Anthony Davis) a franchise player," said a head personnel evaluator for one team. "This guy is unreal. He's going to shift whatever team gets him, like what Blake Griffin did to the Clippers, despite all of their problems, because he was just that good." ... (he's) a one-man highlight show, complete.with monstrous dunks ... (he's) a 6-10 guy who runs the court like a guard, who moves with a fluidity rarely seen.from someone his size. ... "You're talking about a [6-10] guy with a 7-5 wingspan that can handle the ball on the perimeter, shoot threes," said the NBA talent evaluator. "And it's not like he's at any sort of apex in his development -- there's no reason to think he won't keep getting better" ... For much of the season he's drawn inevitable comparisons to another Calipari-coached big man, Marcus Camby, but to so is to grossly undersell the more dynamic -- and more mature -- Davis. A better benchmark is probably someone like future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. Only here's the thing: Davis is more athletic. He's most similar in build to the once-lanky Kevin Durant, a more dominant scorer, but Durant is not the same caliber defender. Really, there is no apt comparison. ... "Anthony is more of an offensive player than even we've let you see because we've got six [NBA-caliber players] on this team," said Calipari. "No one shoots more than 11 shots a game. He's not out there taking 20 shots. "Could you imagine if he took 20 shots? There would probably be another four or five highlight plays that you would all say, 'Whoa!'"
This highlights the beauty of the lottery. As opposed to the Colts who's motto was "Will suck for Luck", the Hornets actually played hard all season long. And at the end of the season actually played some of their best ball....unlike the other teams that had a worse records than New Orleans. New Orleans probably led the league in losing close games. Having their point guard, Eric Gordon, out for the whole season showed how close they were to being decent. Playing to win is much better than playing for ping pong balls. That's probably why Michael Jordan was so ticked. He knows that next year, he'll have to sell a team that quit to a fickle city. Good luck with the season tickets drive. By the way, Chris Paul didn't get what he left the Hornets for....the chance to play for a team with a real chance to win the championship. I bet he's kicking himself in the rear.
CBS Sports: Putting it simply: Davis is really a perfect storm. ... it's fair to call him the best big man prospect since Howard...That's why Davis is regarded as a franchise-changer and why so many teams are crossing their fingers, praying that the ping pong balls fall their way.
New York Times: Over the past 20 years there have been 10 clear franchise players taken with the first pick in the N.B.A. draft. The list includes LeBron James and Allen Iverson, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard — players who immediately became the cornerstones of their franchise, were good pros from Day 1 and gave their team a legitimate chance to win a championship. Kentucky’s Anthony Davis is that kind of player. He is the clear No. 1 pick in a deep and talented N.B.A. draft class. ... The question is not whether Davis will be a good pro — he is going to be a perennial All-Star — but whether he will become great the way Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan were. ... Lithe and smooth, he glides up and down the court. He makes everything look easy, one of those players...who looks as if he could play without breaking a sweat ... it is not clear who will be able to guard him. Against bigger defenders, his quickness, ability to run the floor and deft shooting touch make him a difficult matchup. Against quick defenders, his size, length and finishing ability make him virtually impossible to guard. ... Davis possesses the body control and touch of a guard, allowing him to score in a myriad of different ways from virtually anywhere on the court. ... A couple of times a generation, there is a player so talented and so gifted that the only way to truly understand his value on the basketball court is in his ability to carry his team to championships. Shaquille O’Neal did it. Tim Duncan did it. Davis will be judged against these players
it was destiny... ESPN: On the day he received his national championship ring from the NCAA for earning a title in New Orleans for Kentucky in March, he found out the Hornets had won the right to select him on June 28. "I won a national championship in New Orleans, so why not win another one in New Orleans?" said Davis, who was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and the consensus National Player of the Year award winner in his only season at Kentucky. "I just have to...work my hardest," said Davis, as his friends and family gathered at a Dudley's Restaurant in downtown Lexington to watch the lottery on ESPN. ... Davis was savvy to the present mood in New Orleans professional sports, with the spring dominated by the news of bounty-related suspensions to the NFL's New Orleans Saints. The Saints dominated local coverage during the Final Four. "This can kind of bring joy back to New Orleans," Davis said. "I guess I get lucky when I go there." ... His father had predicted Davis would go to New Orleans. ... "It's all been overwhelming," Davis said. "But it's been a great experience. Now I have a chance to play for the Olympic team and make it to London (for the 2012 Summer Olympics) and then be ready for the NBA. We won a national championship, and now I might be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. I've just got to give all thanks to God." ... Davis said he loved Michael Jordan and when asked Tuesday (the day before the NBA lottery) what he thought of when hearing Charlotte, he replied, "Jordan." When he was asked about New Orleans, his response was, "A national championship."
I would say not only b/c if he'd have played for the Hornets this year, we wouldn't have gotten the No.1 pick. Hindsight is always 20/20.
