2012 NBA First Overall Pick: The Case for Anthony Davis

[Built Ford Tough]

Here is the final part of the 3 part series (ironic since it was the first one written) as Ford, Fraschilla and Thorpe argue why Anthony Davis, ESPN's current #1 ranked prospect, should go 1st overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.

 

From Thorpe

 

When I consider his story -- he was a guard until a late, and huge, growth spurt sent him to power forward/center -- it makes me think of the similar story of one of the best big men in the NBA today: Joakim Noah.

 

Davis has very few flaws in his game. His body will undoubtedly get much bigger and stronger (look at Noah these days and you'll see how Davis could conceivably fill out). He'll learn how to play both fast and deliberately under his college coach. He'll be put in scores of situations where he'll get to make plays off the dribble, only ensuring he'll improve in that area. He's already better than most bigs with the ball in his hands. Kentucky coach John Calipari is an excellent defensive coach, as well, so Davis should be well-schooled on that end.

 

He's a can't-miss long-term NBA starter who can be a rebounding force, a shot-blocking leader, an excellent pick-and-roll defender and quite possibly an offensive talent that must be in the game at crunch time.

 

Conduct the 2007 draft again and Noah would be a lock for the top 3 alongside Kevin Durant and Al Horford. And every league GM will be thinking about that when the 2012 draft rolls around.

 

From Fraschilla

 

Let's face it. Davis is going to a great program that is known to enhance players' value in the NBA draft. No one has been better at getting players ready to go high in the draft than Calipari. But Davis will certainly work at improving.

 

While we will see him play center and power forward a lot this season in order to take advantage of his tremendous length and athleticism, he is not going to overpower anyone in the NBA ... or the SEC, for that matter. Instead, Davis will be great at rim-running in transition and occasionally handling the ball in the middle of the fast break. He'll be finishing at the rim on a ton of screen-and-rolls and will clean up missed shots on the offensive boards. Even at 6-foot-10, he will be able to create off the dribble against the slower defenders he will be matched up against in college. And his size will affect the Wildcats positively on the defensive end of the court.

 

From Ford

 

Davis really is the Holy Grail from an NBA scout's perspective -- he simply oozes potential. He's tall, has a huge wingspan, runs the floor like a guard, is a great kid and here's the kicker -- he plays hard all the time. Prospects like that just don't come along very often. Every scout I've spoken with loves the idea of Anthony Davis.

 

The question is whether the idea can transform into an NBA player. Davis needs to get stronger if he's going to play the 4 or 5 in the NBA. He still needs to define his game -- especially in the low post. Just as David Thorpe mentioned, a late growth spurt transformed a 6-3 guard into a 6-10 big man. Sometimes that's just too big of a leap. Davis will also be on a loaded Kentucky team, which means he might not be able to showcase his skills from Day 1.

 

I think Davis is the favorite for the No. 1 spot because of the plethora of physical tools and intangibles he brings to the table. He won't have to dominate as a freshman to maintain his lofty position -- he just has to keep showing improvement.

 

Of the three leading candidates for the 1st overall pick (Drummond, Barnes, Davis) I like Davis the least. In fact, I think I might even like Quincy Miller more than him assuming he doesn't suffer any long term affects from the knee injury he suffered last year.

 

However, with that said you can't deny that Davis is a very interesting prospect. Like Thorpe and Ford mentioned, you don't often find a 6'10-11 guy who has the ball skills or the fluidity that a guy like Davis has. Also, unlike a lot of long, lanky guys, Davis doesn't have a reputation for being soft or shying away from contact which is also a concern with guys who have frail builds.

 

I just can't get the Perry Jones hype out of my head when thinking about Davis, though. I know Jones had a reputation for being somewhat lazy and appearing disinterested at times, but you can't help to notice the similarities in what was said about the two heading into their freshman seasons. Jones is still a nice player and a solid prospect, but there is no way I'd take him over the likes of Drummond or Barnes and Davis reminds me of him a bit too much.

[AboveLegit]

He's probably the player I'm going to watch the most this season, because I think there is a legitimate shot that he falls late into the lottery. The article states that GM's will look at the Joakim Noah situation and think he will turn out to be that type of player, but production HAS to be there in order to justify a high draft pick, especially in a strong draft class. With that lineup of Kentucky's, I don't expect big numbers from Davis. I like what I've been hearing regarding his motor and defensive ability, he's exactly the type of player the Wiz can use.