Anthony Davis

[gerryv]

Anthony Davis was a very gifted player while playing at Kentucky. The atmosphere he was exposed to while a member of the USA Basketball team allowed him to see how some of the great ones crank their engines when there is basketball to be played.

The most difficult transition young players have to make in the NBA is the adjustment to the overall quickness of the game and how it demands they play with more intensity for a longer period of time.

Anthony Davis will discover that the word punishment takes on a whole new meaning at this level, but I have no doubt that he can be a very special player in the league.

I very much look forward to seeing him evolve as a player: how he conducts himself and how he responds to the variety of tests he will have to pass.

"The first qualification is fortitude while fatigued."

Davis will learn what it's like to condition himself, compete, nourish, and rest over the course of a preseason and the 82-game schedule that will place a "wall" in front of him later on in the year. This wall is made up of mental and physical fatigue.

"Moments of change are not all comfortable."

I've been told that Davis has the drive to excel, a healthy work capacity, and the willingness to endure whatever comes his way. That's good to hear. Now we shall see. Minor aches will tempt him to take the easy path and slow his conditioning. As his mental toughness adapts, he will begin to win those arguments.

"Potential is nothing; performance is everything."

Anthony Davis has the potential to be a very good, maybe even great NBA player. Potential is a word you don't want your name associated with on a permanent basis. Eventually you want to arrive. It's a process and can be a beautiful as we witness a player evolve. How long will it take to be be considered legit? Some do it quickly. Some do it later.

"The meek will not inherit the lane."

Davis will learn this from Day 1. Physical contact, rebounding, defending, multiple efforts, and scoring are all parts of the job. If Davis discovers the enjoyment that comes with all of those lane actions, game night will be his own lil' party.

"Your defense is only as good as your rotating defenders."

In the NBA, your ability to defend teams is only as good as your off-the-ball defenders and their ability to execute their defensive rotations. Davis is blessed with length, footwork, and shot-blocking ability. There is value in altering shots, blocking shots, and altering an offensive player's path to the basket. Davis will learn that reaction times are much quicker in the NBA. I doubt he fears this challenge.

The three stages

As in all sports, there are three stages that a player must experience.

1.) The Hype Stage -- Your reputation tags you with expectations. Your college rep isn't a free pass to professional credibility.

2.) You then begin to find out whether you're good or you're not.

3.) Professional fulfillment -- You have arrived.

"You are what you take time to become."

Gym rats will win games for you, because they spend time in the gym. Gym Rats are addicted to getting better. They block out distractions and lock on to what their goals are. I hear Davis loves the gym.

"Talent is more common than accomplishment."

There are very talented players that never get a sniff of winning big. Multiple playoff rounds, winning a title, getting better every year. Davis was a team player at Kentucky. Don't expect him to do it alone. He is a goal-oriented individual. Teams accomplish big things. He knows talent that stands alone, suffers alone.

"Earn your bones."

I trust that Anthony Davis understands that he will have to earn a brand new set of bones in the NBA. Accept the role of what rookies have to do. He hasn't earned a thing yet. The Hornets are a young team, so rookies must respect those that came before them. The Kentucky days are a nice set of memories from yesterday.

Today, he begins to earn his keep in a brand new world.

Don't ask Anthony Davis about endorsements.

Watch Anthony Davis act and how those around him react.

Welcome to the big stage, Mr. Davis.

GV

[Unknown Poster]

Grats on landing the Fox 8 gig, Gerry!

[gerryv]

Thank You! News work by day...NBA observations by night.

[Pelicans78]

I was wondering if the team may start Lopez and Anderson in the front court and have Davis come off the bench as a C/PF so he can adjust easier while he develops physically and mentally. I don't think it will happen, but wondering if it could be a possibility.

[ramsters60]

I was wondering if the team may start Lopez and Anderson in the front court and have Davis come off the bench as a C/PF so he can adjust easier while he develops physically and mentally. I don't think it will happen, but wondering if it could be a possibility.

I doubt it will happen either, but I don't think that much of anything is out of the possibility realm....this is another year where Monty will be tested on having the "right" players on the floor at the "right time"....I think he has improved upon creating positive matchups and he has a few more "toys" to play with this year as well....I am both curious and anxious to find out who goes where and when and how the players respond to the challenge that lies ahead....win, lose, or draw, this should be a fun and entertaining group to watch!

[42]

That type of mintue distribution can happen with Davis starting.

Get over 'starting'.

[nolaslim213]

I was wondering if the team may start Lopez and Anderson in the front court and have Davis come off the bench as a C/PF so he can adjust easier while he develops physically and mentally. I don't think it will happen, but wondering if it could be a possibility.

I could easily see that happening in the beginning - especially in the preseason. Monty already said he's going to start with the older guys and work the younger guys in as the game goes on. For me, as long as AD gets 35+ minutes/game this year, I don't care how he gets them. Starter/backup is just a label.

[BallSoHard]

Davis will start and get minutes.

[Nola Hornet]

Won't matter as Anderson/Davis will average 30 minutes a game.

[nolaslim213]

Won't matter as Anderson/Davis will average 30 minutes a game.

Precisely.

[SdotPaul504]

Really cant wait to watch the pre season game tomorrow. Think we can handle the new look Magic lol

[PelsFan2313]

Really cant wait to watch the pre season game tomorrow. Think we can handle the new look Magic lol

Supposedly that Mexican player they picked up was a straight steal. I wonder what team was dumb enough to let him go.

[Kibner]

Supposedly that Mexican player they picked up was a straight steal. I wonder what team was dumb enough to let him go.

If his conditioning holds up, he has a legit chance of being the best player on that team. Seriously.

[Eman5805]

To steal an idea from TD.com...

Anthony Davis when we drafted him, roughly 4 months ago:


Media Day just last Monday:



Hasn't even hit that point in his life where a man just naturally gets stronger.

[nolaslim213]

Great post Eman. You can definitely see the growth, especially in the shoulders.

[FlyGirl]