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July 3, 2012
Prepare yourselves, New Orleans Hornets fans.
There’s a unibrow on the loose in the Big Easy.
Louisiana’s NBA team made the unofficial official Thursday night selecting 6-foot, 10-inch, 220-pound unibrowed Kentucky forward Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
The 19-year-old player, who analysts peg as a hybrid between Marcus Camby and Kevin Garnett, said he “cannot wait” to lace ‘em up as a Hornet.
“(This is) indescribable right now. A great feeling and great experience,” Davis said moments after being selected. “I’ve wanted this all my life, so it’s finally here. To be drafted No. 1 overall means a lot to me, for a 19‑year‑old freshman, now professional. The City of New Orleans is great. I had a great time when I went to visit. I just can’t wait to get down there and start to play.”
Davis’ selection truly appeared to be a no-brainer in a draft void of star-level collegiate talent.
The lanky forward dumped in 14 points, 10 rebounds and close to 5 blocks per game in his lone season as a Wildcat.
Those numbers, combined with his potential to improve offensively, made Davis the consensus top choice in the minds of virtually every NBA Draft analyst.
The Hornets agreed and pulled the trigger – a decision that both coach Monty Williams and general manager Dell Demps believe will pay off for the team.
“Anthony is an incredible person and very talented basketball player,” Demps said. “We look forward to him being a part of the sustained success of our franchise on and off the court going forward.”
“We have added an incredibly talented, athletic big man with great length who is also a proven winner,” Williams added. “In getting to know him, he’s also a high-character kid and someone I look forward to helping develop further.”
The development Williams referenced is something weighing heavily on Davis’ mind as he approaches the summer months.
The No. 1 overall pick said he hopes to add weight to his lanky frame to be able to handy the brunt of an 82-game schedule.
He added that he also wants to work on his touch around the basket and his ability to create shots on offense.
“I just have to come in and play defense,” Davis said. “I know they are a defensive‑oriented team and I love to play defense, and that’s what the coaches stress a lot. I think with my defensive ability, we can do a great job (on that side of the ball). But at the same time, we still got to put points on the board. So I want to make sure we work hard every day, stay in the gym and just keep working.”
While Davis was busy taking photos and celebrating with family, Davis and Demps were hard at work mulling their options with the No. 10 overall selection.
The player chosen was the guy many pegged to be the No. 1 choice 12 months ago.
With their second pick in the first round, the Hornets picked high school phenom and Duke freshman guard Austin Rivers.
The 2011 Naismith High School National Player of the Year earned his spot in the Top 10 after averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game in his lone season with the Blue Devils.
Rivers has a basketball pedigree – he is the son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers.
The standout didn’t mince words when expressing how eager he was to begin his pro career.
“I do love New Orleans,” Rivers said. “I love New Orleans more than anything right now. This is the greatest feeling in my life.”
Rivers’ path to the NBA seemed inevitable given his pedigree.
But few expected the Duke guard to be the No. 10 pick in any NBA Draft.
Long considered to be a top pick, Rivers’ stock dipped slightly during his only season with the Blue Devils.
Scouts questioned Rivers’ tenacity and shot selection. The Duke guard averaged more turnovers than assists in his collegiate career.
His supporters say he struggled because he was not a good fit in the Blue Devils’ motion-oriented system.
“I’m just going to go there and work for it and earn every minute I can and just try to do everything that I can to be the best teammate I can. (I want to) go there and help that team out right away,” Rivers said. “I want to make a huge impact right away for the New Orleans Hornets.”
“He is a stand-up young man and brings the type of character and talent we are looking to add to this team,” Williams said.
The obvious dilemma everyone wants to know is what will happen when it’s time to play daddy’s Celtics?
Both son and father have a different theory about what will happen in that situation.
“He told me when I played him, I’m not going to score, so that’s basically what he told me,” Rivers said with a laugh. “I think that’s even more fun to go against my dad. It’s competitive. It’s bragging rights in the house, little things like that. It’s no pressure.”
The Hornets also had the No. 46 overall pick of the draft, selecting Kentucky forward Darius Miller.
All-in-all, Demps said the team is ready to progress into the future with their trio of talent.
“We’re excited about what we have going on over here,” Demps said. “We think everything is looking promising as we move forward.”
New Orleans Hornets basketball player Anthony Davis poses in his uniform in New Orleans, Friday, June 29, 2012. Davis was the first pick in the 2012 NBA Draft Thursday night.
