[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Davis still on the rise
One of the final exams in the evaluation process is a simple question: did you finish your high school career on the rise, leveling out or on the decline? Anthony Davis (Chicago, Ill./Perspectives Charter) distinguished himself all week long. His combination of size, length, athleticism, competitiveness and the fact that he owns the biggest ceiling of anyone in the game is amazing. Not only does he have pro potential, but he has the ability and desire to max out his talent. Should he slip past Austin Rivers (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Prk) for the No. 1 over spot — and it’s certainly a possibility — it’s not a reflection of Rivers in any way but a tribute to how far Davis has come and where he’s going. His evolution has been one of the most unique stories of the last decade. He turned in an impressive week of practice, scrimmage and game action. His story, from the evolution to the near end of a high school career, is storybook.

NBA scouts share our pain
The NBA guys took in three days of practice and a closed-door scrimmage. At week’s end, even amongst the guys who get the big bucks to make decisions of this nature, there wasn’t a consensus on who the best prospect in the Class of 2011 would be. We know this: Davis and Rivers are the only two we’re contemplating.

Davis’ shining non-game moment came when he snatched a rebound, put the ball through his legs and dunked it left-handed. Most of the NBA GMs with high lottery picks didn’t have a guy currently on their roster that could contemplate the move. Tuesday’s practice session belonged to Rivers who seemingly engaged himself in a high-level horse game consisting of made shots no one else on the roster could figure out how to replicate.

-Dave Telep, ESPN Recruiting

 

I unfortunately did not have a chance to see the game, but it kind of sounded like a lot of these guys were who I thought they were. Khem Birch, who people were grilling during his practice sessions, does have a nice motor and is a fantastic shot blocker. McAdoo and Gilchrist were awesome, and while Rivers is probably the top two guard in the class, Bradley Beal and PJ Hairston are both great scorers as well. With all of this being said, people seemed to be RAVING about Anthony Davis.

If you read that last paragraph by Dave Telep, he did WHAT? Off of a rebound? Left handed? Crazy. I can not really fathom the timing that must have took, and whether it was off of the rim or glass, but, that is pretty darn impressive even just hearing about it. I know he has a nice skill set for a player his size, and from what I have seen and head, is a great low post defender and rebounder, even as a pretty darn skinny kid.

Let’s get this out of the way. He has a MONSTER unibrow. His teeth are jacked. He kind of looks like one of those "Homiez" toys you would get in coin machines. With all of this aside, he is looking like the possible first pick in the 2012 draft. Very versatile and has more potential due to his skill set, athleticism and height than anyone else in this class. It will be very interesting to see who stays and who enters this years draft, but I am guessing that Anthony Davis might be a hard guy to knock off as being the #1 pick.

Also, I know everyone is on a Fab 5 trip, and by all means they were amazing. But, Kentucky’s class this year could be really special. They will in no way have a floor leader like Jalen Rose, who was a 6’8 PG and caused mad match-up issues, and Wiltjer/Davis have nothing on Webber and Juwan as far as muscle mass at a similar stage, but they are going to have a lot of skill. I would say starting 5 freshman will be incredibly unlikely for the Wildcats, but they will all play major roles, and Mike Gilchrist is a much different player than anyone on that Fab 5 team. He and Davis should be a fantastic combo, Wiltjer provides a fantastic sub and Teague should take over the reigns from Brandon Knight. Still, this team will live and die by Davis and Gilchrist’s progression next year.

Another crazy thing when you think about it, is that Kentucky might be challenged hard by some teams with monster returning players. Really, this is comparable to the Fab 5 as well. Look at Duke in 1992, they were fantastic. North Carolina and Ohio State could both have incredible depth, not to mention Duke having the possible return of Kyrie Irving, though a big time loss in senior leadership. Kentucky’s circumstances are very different from the Fab 5, and what made the Fab 5 amazing was not just the fact that they were all freshman starting, but the fact that they had major tourney success in those two years. Kentucky is already at that point with three freshman as major contributors, and next year they could have 4.

I know this is looking ahead quite a bit, and that I have not even mentioned Quincy Miller, who might have a shot at being the best player in the class, but what do people think of Davis? I am kind of getting the feeling that this guy is beyond just hype at this point, that is for sure. He will more than likely be relied upon big time next year at Kentucky and will probably play a lot of post, but will kill people with his skill set. He may not be Kevin Durant, but I think he will remind people of  Durant in college to an extent. That is saying that when KD was at Texas, he was the man in the middle a majority of the time, which lead to him grabbing a ton of boards and being a nice shot blocker. Well, Davis will definitely be doing that next year, plus I would not be surprised to see him be their first scoring option. He will have way more talent than Durant had on that Texas team, and he does not have the same offensive skill set as Durant. Than again, neither did Perry Jones, who got endless Durant comparisons even though they are about night and day. Leaving the comparisons out of it, I think this guy might be the top player in this class and I am really looking forward to seeing him in the JB Classic and Hoop Summit.

[morgatilParticipant]

Don’t forget, Kentucky should be returning Lamb, Liggins and Darius Miller.  They won’t have the so called "depth problem" next year.

 

 

[The lake show2]

I wouldnt be surprised if Gilchrist takes over the top spot after all the allstar games are over. He has the higest most realistic ceiling IMO. He does everything pretty well and i think he was 2nd in scoring 1st in rebounding and secon is assist. He’s a known winner, plays hard all the time and is willing to give up personal stats for the good of the team. Its kinda scary that him and Davis are going to the same school because his unstoppable motor will be a great exaple for Davis to follow

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

.

[The lake show2]

One problem is that most of these tall potential guys never seem to pan out liek these scouts/NBA GM’s predict. And i can kinda see why. In the past couple of years when i read about long athletic guys the thing that always seems to be missing when these scouts talk is " this guy Dominated every one from day one or he always dominates top competition". What i do see if " this guy has so much potential". Also i never see " this guy is the hardest working guy out there". Which causes me to throw up a caution sign, not because i don’t think they are good but because i thik there is a strong possibility that the guy never reach’s the "potential " that scouts and GM’s place on they guy

[lalailaParticipant]

i agree with lake..i just LOVE Davis game, and hope he will be ready for college to show all of his strengths BUT…WHAT Micheal Gilrchrist did so bad that he isn;t the same player who was clear cut NUMBER1 year or two ago..he was impressive playing for USA first of all, he was pretty dominant in everything for arguably the best team in HS, and he did the same thing in MD game! he is so unselfish also not a good shooter or forst scoring option but he still was only 1point shy to be leading scorer(imagine how good he will be when he will get a jumper) there were so much long guys but he got 12rebounds and his 4 assists isn’t bad even for a point guard in HS..

so it’s so UNFAIR when they say "it’s only between Davis and Rivers" not only Mike is in the discussion but i really see him even leading this rankings. 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Too last year, honestly, with rankings. You had people arguing that three guys could be the possible top pick at the beginning of the year, Harrison Barnes, Perry Jones and Kyrie Irving. Well, the players are different, but the argument is similar with Mike Gilchrist, Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. I think Austin, like Kyrie before him, may be the most college ready. However, Mike and Anthony will play on the same team, so the dynamic changes completely. The thing is, Mike is a fantastic player, has been considered the #1 guy and I do not think his play is what keeps him out of contention for the top spot. But, Davis and Rivers both seem to have abilities that make them seem like more attractive NBA prospects.

At this point, Rivers is the premier scorer in this class and can hurt you in so many ways. He is a fantastic shooter, has great athleticism and just seems to have a killer instinct. The guy killed everyone over the summer and has just been a star throughout HS. Davis, while his rise was meteoric, is a darn anomaly in this class. He is skinny as anything, still has yet to grow into his body, but it has had little affect on his athleticism and coordination. Not to mention, the guy can play low post D and board. He goes hard and has a definite competitive streak. Mike is a fantastic 2 way player, and heck, he won the co-MVP of this All-Star game. But, does that make him a better NBA prospect than either of these two guys?

I am sure Michael Gilchrist will have a big year next year for Kentucky, and I love his intensity on both ends of the court. But, Austin is an assassin and Davis is not only way taller and longer, but he probably has much more of an offensive skill set than Mike at this point and is no slouch on D either. Plus, these other guys have amazing motors too. Yes, sometimes projections about young, skinny bigs are off, but so are projections of brilliant strong SG’s and tough defensive 3 guys who need to build a reliable jumper. Davis and Gilchrist both need a lot of work, and maybe at this point Mike has more of a defined position, but I think Davis has more upside based on where they both are at this point.

The top players in this HS class right now seem to be separating themselves fairly well. Looks like the top 5 is more than likely Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Michael Gilchrist, James McAdoo and Quincy Miller (who could have indeed been the star of these post season ASG’s, but we will not know until he suits up at Baylor). Last year, when I went to the Hoop Summit, 3 guys stood out to me. Kyrie was the best PG, and he separated himself from Brandon Knight to me, who has also had a fantastic year and I have been really impressed with in the tourney. But, Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger were head and shoulders above the rest of the team. Every All-Star game, they were the best two players, it was between them. After McDonald’s, Mike may have had the best game, but I do not think he created separation from these two guys.

People look at different things for their rankings. They may look at NBA potential, which was a major reason Perry Jones was seen as such a fantastic prospect last year. They may look at who the best player is right now and just assume that he will maintain the course. But, the thing is, they do not always hold the course people, and some of these players with potential do indeed surpass them. Michael Gilchrist has some fantastic tools as a player, but at this point looks like someone who might be best suited as being a second banana. We have no idea if he will develop into a top dog, but if you look at what Mike has done throughout HS, he is usually best as the complimentary guy who focuses on a little of everything. It makes him a very valuable prospect, but I think people see Rivers and Davis being possibly that and more.

Their is no better all-around defender in this class than Mike, but his offensive game needs a lot of work and while he has average SF size and a nice wingspan, is that going to translate to him being a top scoring option? I think Davis and Rivers are both further ahead of him, and while you could say that Mike scored more than both of them in the McDonald’s game, it is one game. All-Star games let you get a good look at these guys playing amongst their peers, and the best do tend to stand out. But, even though Mike picked up 16/12/4, Rivers and Davis seemed to be the most impressive throughout the event (practices and games). I think Michael Gilchrist has a bright future, and he should be in the discussion amongst the best players in this class, but I think that Davis and Rivers are fighting for the top spot right now.

[lalailaParticipant]

IDK why Rivers is better prospect. i mean nba prospect, Mike has ideal size for sf while Rivers is undersized too, Mike can do a bit of everything(and the guys who doesn’t have good jumpshot but still scores and improves their shooting are dangerous) and Rivers is anything but scorer, Mike is going to be one of the best defenders one day while Rivers is pretty weak there, and also Mike is like what..1year and few months younger?

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

Maybe I’m crazy…but didn’t John Henson have a similar transformation in his senior year?

[The lake show2]

Yet everyone’s eyes have seen the same thing i saw corretect?  which was

 

Davis shows no confidence as far as being a wing player, always looking to out let instead of dribbling it him self

Same thing is said when he gets the ball on the wing. He has shown no real jumper to speak of in this past game ( but after watching some of His games from this summer he has a ok mid range game, not bad not great, but ok)

What skill set does Davis have that is better than Gilchrist? Gilchrist isnt the best deep range shooter but he is better than Davis. better ball handler, better mid range.

 

I’m not sure about the second bannana thing because Gilchrist has been the top guy on his H.S team, At Camps not the second guy. Davis does have potential just like any big guy who can handle even a lil is gonna be seen as having more potential then a guy shorter even if the shorter guy is better. Davis is good put his potential is what puts him where he is at and for some dumb reason people feel Gilchrist doesnt have alot of potential ( based off nothing that makes any sense). Each kid is young( Gilchirst if im not mistaken is younger than all of them) and each player can get better.

And i know Davis used to be a guard but people are tryna make it seem like he was this great guard when in reality he was a low level college type guard at best (cleveland state). Another player who went through the same 7 inch growth spurt is Jon Leur from Wis. Pretty good player but didnt keep those same guard handles( kept that shot though). And from what i have read on scout and rivals. com insder is that Davis was actually more of a combo Sf/PFand his handles were still developing which is why he wasn’t a high recruit before the growth spurt

 

 

[SteroidParticipant]

As everyone knows, the NBA is driven on guards, so if you can land a good guard, you’re in business even if your team isn’t winning atm. I am a firm believer in big men/defense makes a championship team, but you need a guard who can score the ball, and Rivers has that potential. He has a great mindset and the pedigree also. I think Gilchrist will be a Gerald Wallace type. He is also compared to Pippen too, and I think he’ll be in that role in the NBA. I think he’ll be a solid #2, great #3 option player to accompany your other potential great players (Wall, Evans, Griffin, etc..). Davis is the wild card. If he lives it up in college, he’ll be the first pick because people will take a chance on anyone that’s is close to a prototypical, KG type player if there is one.

[The lake show2]

Nothing Wrong with being a number @ in the NBA. Hell K.G as good as he is is a number 2 never good enough to be a number one( lead a team to the title) Wall Evans, Blake are also Number 2’s

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Was the ultimate reason the Celtics won the championship. Paul Pierce won finals MVP, and was fantastic, but look at KG’s value to that team. He killed it in the play-offs especially that year, despite Skip Bayless always saying otherwise. Wall, Evans and Blake have yet to be number 2 players, but I guess I should have just said that Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers could both be better than Michael Gilchrist. Maybe so, maybe no, but they have just as much going for them as Mike does as far as everything being considered. Austin has the best skill set and Davis has monster potential. Mike could be a great player, but those two guys look like they could be better. 

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

The main thing for me is what is Davis’ comparison? I didn’t see all of the game, but Is he Anthony Randolph? John Henson? That’s the question I need to find out because I honestly don’t know.

Austin Rivers, I’ve seen D-Wade comparisons, Steph Curry comparisons, but what about a Derek Harper comparison?

[scoutguruParticipant]

 I’m not really sure about none of these kids. I try to reserve judgement about these prep players til they get to the collegiate level. Its just too hard to project with certainty. Some were saying John Henson, Will Barton, and others were one and done lottery players when clearly that wasn’t going to be the case. Just wait til next season when we can get a better guage of who emerges.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

But I am just predicting. That is all you can do at this point. Knicksboy, I think those comparisons on Davis are kind of off at this point. Henson and Randolph never killed their peers like this guy is. Henson was much skinnier and more raw offensively. Randolph was a complete tooth pick and neither of them stood out like this guy, they were a lot more hyped on potential rather than actual play. Davis is being raved about because he has been playing well against good players. He works hard and he has a lot of skill. Of course you have to wait until college to see if he is the real deal, but up until than, you try and predict what might happen. I think Anthony Davis might be the top prospect in this class come the 2012 draft. 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

GMs, scouts think Anthony Davis is future No. 1 

March, 31, 2011

Mar 31

2:51

PM ET

• By Chad Ford

Warren Wimmer/Icon SMIAnthony Davis (right) is a big that can, and will, contribute all over the court.

 

 

March Madness has been the primary stage for NBA Draft prospect over the past few weeks. But with games on hiatus until Saturday, a huge contingent of NBA scouts and GMs traveled to Chicago this week to attend the practices for the McDonald’s All-American game.

 

 

Yes, they are already on the hunt for the top player for the 2012 NBA Draft and many came away convinced that they found him.

 

 

Anthony Davis, a 6-foot-10, 200 pound forward from Chicago has been the talk of the town for months. But at the McDonald’s game — both in practices and in the game itself — he solidified his spot as the guy to beat for the No. 1 spot in the draft in 2012.

Davis has an unusual story. He was 6-foot-2 going into his junior year of high school — a point guard. But a crazy growth spurt added 8 inches to his stature. Many kids get clumsy or awkward when their body grows that fast. Not Davis. He’s rail thin, but still demonstrates the quickness, ballhandling and shooting abilities of a guard.

 

 

But it gets better. Sometimes those 6-foot-10 guards in a big man’s body are the bane of an NBA scout’s existence. They want their big men to rebound and block shots. That’s where they are most valuable to a NBA team. Davis, is doing that as well. He’s an aggressive rebounder, a big-time shot blocker and isn’t afraid to dunk over people. In other words, he’s the best of both worlds. Scouts are almost uniformly comparing him to a young Kevin Garnett.

 

 

Davis will be playing at Kentucky next year, and if he can live up to potential, he should be the odds on favorite for the No. 1 pick in 2012.

 

 

• Austin Rivers, son of Doc Rivers, may have the most complete game of any guard in the country. His high basketball IQ and killer instinct are super appealing. But his lack of size for his position and lack of explosive athleticism (he’s a good, but not an elite athlete) may lower his ceiling a bit. Rivers will head to Duke sitting at No. 2 on our 2012 Big Board.

 

 

Michael Gilchrist (committed to Kentucky), Bradley Beal (committed to Florida), James McAdoo (committed to North Carolina) and Myck Kabongo (committed to Texas) also drew a lot of praise from scouts as potential lottery picks in 2012.

We’ll break down the whole incoming freshman class a bit later … but you can also check out our player cards for the other potential one-and-done’s in the high school class of 2011 here.

 

 

• We’ve already had 12 college underclassmen declare for the 2011 NBA Draft. Only three of them — Tobias Harris, Reggie Jackson and Tyler Honeycutt — look like for sure first-round picks.

 

 

Meanwhile the only two underclassmen lottery picks to make their intentions known — Jared Sullinger and Tristan Thompson — are both saying that they are returning to school. Sullinger’s decision sounds like it’s pretty final. Thompson’s may not, however, be etched in stone. Sources say that his family has talked to a number of agents, but contrary to a recent report, he hasn’t made a decision.

 

 

We should be getting updates soon from a number of the top underclassmen. Sources say Kyrie Irving is leaning strongly toward declaring for the NBA Draft and should be making an announcement soon. Ditto for Baylor’s Perry Jones, UConn’s Kemba Walker and Kentucky’s Terrence Jones.

 

 

Sources say that a number of other prospects including Alec Burks, Jordan Hamilton, Scotty Hopson, Kawhi Leonard, Mason Plumlee, Jeff Taylor, Trey Thompkins and Klay Thompson are very likely to enter as well.

 

 

UNC’s Harrison Barnes continues to be on the fence however. He recently had his exit interview with head coach Roy Williams. In the interview Williams told Barnes that he would go somewhere between No. 5 and 11 in the draft, according to a source familiar with the discussion. I think Barnes will go higher — likely in the Top 3. The bigger question will be whether Barnes wants to return to a loaded UNC team next year to try to win a championship.

 

 

Arizona’s Derrick Williams and Kentucky’s Brandon Knight are also wildcards. While both players have explored their draft stock, it’s unclear from sources which way they’re leaning right now.

 

 

For a complete updated analysis on who’s in and out of the NBA Draft … click here.

 

 

• The deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the draft is April 24 this year. For players who want to test the waters (declare for the draft but not hire an agent to preserve their college eligibility) there is a pretty tight window for them to get in workouts with NBA teams.

 

 

While the NBA’s date to withdraw for the draft doesn’t come until mid June, the NCAA requires player to drop out by May 8. While it’s possible to do workouts (Jimmer Fredette worked out for four teams in that window last year) it’s challenging for most prospects to do it and still go to classes.

 

 

The league has been working on a fix for a while and as Draft Express reported on Wednesday, the Nets and other teams have tentatively scheduled a large group workout in New Jersey to try to get a look at them before the May 8 deadline. The workout would bring all 30 teams together, if it’s approved by the league.

 

 

It’s an interesting idea that was bounced around last year too. It certainly will allow underclassmen to get more feedback, but at the end of the day, probably won’t impact the draft much at all.

 

 

"We want to see the kids, get physicals, whatever," one NBA GM told ESPN.com. "But I don’t think it will change much. First of all, these large workouts are basically useless. They rarely have much of an impact on our scouting reports. More importantly, the workout will happen in late April. The draft is in late June. None of us are ready to commit to players in late April. If they need a guarantee that they’ll go in the first round like the Fredette kid did last year, they probably aren’t going to get it. If they do get it, it won’t be because of one workout. I think it’s a good thing and I support it. But it’s not a big deal."

[The lake show2]

Randolph and Henson played very well against there peers just like Davis actually. Davis played against much weaker comp in His H.S season while not leading his team to many wins( and no he isn’t the first to play on a bad team but great players do lead there team to more wins and dont have a bunch of 25 plus loses)

I like the kid but he’s starting to get over hyped by fans and ESPN.

Barnes was also the guy who many thought (espn) was gonna be the top pick( perry Jones second)

Deandre Jordan, Bj Mullens were also Chad Ford picks. I noticed he picks High Schoolers alot as far as future number one picks over anyone that’s already in college. Davis hype is alot like those other big long guys and that’s based off potential as well as how good they are now. Watching him you can see if he ever was a point guard his handles and guard mentality did not catch up with his growth spurt just yet

Also like i said before how many of the guys like him ever reach the out of this world potential that Chad Ford and the other guys put on them. Its like they are setting them up to fail ( when i say fail i mean not living up to what they expected them to be)

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

The reason he chooses guys out of high school as the first pick is because in the last 3/4 drafts, they have been the first pick. Yes, he has a lot to work on, but you and I know that Henson and Randolph were not getting the raves Davis is. It may indeed be hype, and after all, it is a projection. But is Harrison Barnes not still a possibility for the first pick? Is Perry Jones still not seen as a player with a world of potential? Chad Ford is not the end all be all, I know he hypes certain players up and makes stories, kind of like most people on ESPN seem too when the news is slow.

But, the thing that people are so high on with Davis seems to be his work ethic. He has a leadership quality and while he may be slight, he is aggressive. His motor is apparently incredibly high. Is it better than Mike Gilchrist’s? I do not know, but people are giving him considerable props for it, which is a good sign. Who knows if he maintains it, but I was trying to say, he is off too a good start.

With your other point, height and potential do seem to go hand and hand. But, you almost act like tall, skinny PF’s are the only players who do not live up to their full potential. Every position struggles to do so, you really have to predict a players mentality and skill set and see if it comes through. I think you tend to look at things in hindsight rather than even predicting anything, which is fine, but than you rain on other people trying to actually take a stand and say something could or might happen. It is sort of bogus, really, as you usually tend to jump on bandwagons in the end.

You call out people for knowing a players strengths and weaknesses after one game, but are you not doing the same thing in this circumstance? Your examples in this case are also far too general and I think very different from Davis in build and skill set at this point. If Davis shoots from the perimeter all of next year, than he may be like Randolph. If he shoots 30% from the line and struggles with physical play early on, he may be like Henson. But, it is appearing he might be tough enough and have enough going for him to contribute more immediately than either of these players.

Technically, anyone with potential who is ranked highly is set up to fail. In that case, why even comment on the rankings whatsoever and make predictions? I know you really like playing devils advocate, but I think you tend to be incredibly shortsighted in some of these arguments and tend to only look from your side. I understand that Michael Gilchrist may have the most "realistic" potential, it is because he has players that he compares too and who he resembles.

But, Anthony Davis, like the Dwight Howard argument, is the more rare player. In this case, that based on the other factors he provides may make him the MVP (Most Valuable Prospect) in this class. Do not get it twisted, being the NBA MVP and the best prospect are two different things, but when you have a person with Anthony Davis’ tools, it might be hard to pass up. This is a different debate than Harrison Barnes and Perry Jones at the very least, because both Davis and Gilchrist are praised for their motors. We will see who is better, but right now I am thinking Davis will be down the line. I may be wrong, I admit that, but you could be as well by arguing otherwise. Time will tell.

[The lake show2]

I agree he might (key word) have the most potential btu i think he may be getting over hyped. And yes none of this is an exact sciece so all of this is nothing more than opinion at this point untill he starts playing against top talent. What he has done is not rare because there are plenty of guys who have had growth spurts and went from guard to big men. I wuould say it would be rae if he actually played like a guard but he doesn’t. He does have a good motor from what ive seen and heard( not on Gilchrist level which every one seems to admit) but still pretty high

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Every player has a growth spurt and suddenly becomes the consensus #1 player in his HS class and gets compared to KG: (http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/212746/Prospective_2012_No_1_Pick_Anthony_Davis_Draws_Comparison_To_Kevin_Garnett)

Of course he is not the first person to have a growth spurt and move up the rankings. Yes, he played on a bad HS team, which is scary considering he is possibly considered the #1 player in his class. Yes, you can name me a few 6’10 skinny players with upside (I am blanking on SF’s and SG’s I could name with similar bodies to Mike Gilchrist and Austin Rivers). My point is, the reason these 6’10 skinny dudes with good skill sets are thought of so highly is because, they are RARE. Do you remember a player coming out of nowhere like this since T-Mac? Even John Henson, Lamar Odom and Joakim Noah had their growth spurts before this guy, and only Lamar was praised as highly. It is not like I have no idea what I am talking about here man.

I am not saying he plays like a guard, but his combination of assets as a basketball player, size and athleticism is rare. I have heard him compared to KG and Bosh more so than Durant, but it has become very apparent that he has an incredibly high ceiling with what he has to offer. He is very skinny, but so were KG, Bosh, T-Mac, Kobe and Jermaine O’Neal as HS kids. Not every HS player is built like Amare, LeBron and Dwight Howard. The important quality with Anthony Davis is that he is not afraid to mix it up and has some aggression to his game. He may be overhyped, but he provides a great deal to be excited about in a basketball prospect, which is why he is garnering this hype.

[The lake show2]

I agree with the comparisions that arent tall guards. thats much more realistic of how his game is right now. Not so much the Durant because his game is nothin liek either of those guys. It would be nice if he could play liek Durant because that would mae me that much more happier since i like Kentucky but IMO he isn’t better than Gilchrist nor has thehigher potential. And rankings should be taken with a grain of salt because you can’t truley say who the best highschool player is unless that player dominates every one every time and makes it so obvious that there is zero debate as far as who is the best ( Lebron,Webber, etc). His story sounds alot liek Perry jones (potential, highest upside) i just hope he produces more against better cop in college( which i think he will because he seems to not take plays off)

[Author]

Posts