Anthony Davis basketball

Anthony Davis, Jr. (bo March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays power forward and center. He played as a power forward for the University of Kentucky as a freshman before being selected first overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He was a 2012 NCAA Unanimous First team All American and was the 2011 12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader. He established Southeaste Conference single season blocked shots and NCAA Division I freshman blocked shots records. He has also eaed the national Freshman, Defensive Player and Big Man awards. In addition, he has been named the 2012 National Player of the Year by various organizations, eaing the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year, Naismith Award, Sporting News Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award. He was the Southeaste Conference's player, freshman and defensive player of the year. He helped lead Kentucky to an undefeated 2011 12 Southeaste Conference men's basketball season and was the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player when Kentucky won the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Touament.

As a high school basketball player for Chicago's Perspectives Charter School, he was unknown nationally and locally after three seasons of play in the lightly regarded Blue Division of the Chicago Public High School League. A "late bloomer", he emerged into prominence in April 2010 (the spring of his junior year) after a growth spurt and exposure on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) traveling team made him a blue chip prospect. He was a high school All American by every major selector (ESPN, Jordan, McDonald's, Parade, USA Today) and eaed Co MVP honors at the 2011 Jordan Brand Classic.

After college, he eaed a gold medal playing Men's basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics for Team USA. fake oakleys During his rookie season in the NBA, he was selected to the NBA All Rookie First Team and the NBA Rising Stars Challenge. Before Davis committed to Kentucky, the Chicago Sun Times reported that his father, Anthony Davis, Sr. asked Kentucky for $200,000 for a commitment from his son.[19] The report was initially released on Wednesday August 4, 2010 by Sun Times reporter Michael O'Brien.[20] Citing "a reliable source," he posted the following text "rumors/sources that have Davis choosing Kentucky are also alleging that the commitment cost $200,000." before it was edited to say "rumors that Davis' commitment is for sale have surfaced since he cut his list of schools down about a month ago." and then removed later that day from the Sun Times' high school sports website following a threat from a University of Kentucky lawyer.[21] A Lexington, Kentucky law firm sent a letter under the signature of attoey Stephen L. Barker that expressed a "formal demand that you (O'Brien and the Sun Times) withdraw the publication from any source from which it has been published, and issue an immediate statement that you know of no credible evidence indicating that there is any truth to the 'rumors' referred to in your article."[22] Baker's letter also threatened potential "punitive damages for your malicious and willful actions."[21] Anthony Davis Sr., declined to speak to the Chicago Tribune on August 4 regarding the allegation, although he denied the allegations to the Sun Times stating "We haven't asked anyone for anything, and no one has offered us anything," on July 30 before the story broke.[21]

The article was reposted on the Sun Times' website and included in the print edition on Friday August 6 where O'Brien wrote "sources from three separate universities told the Sun Times that Davis Sr. asked for money in retu for his son's commitment, with the amounts ranging from $125,000 to $150,000."[20][23][24] The University of Kentucky and the Davis family both threatened to sue the Sun Times over the article,[20][25] however, no lawsuits were filed by Kentucky or the Davis family. Young Magnet High School played at Chicago State University was nationally televised on ESPNU.[34] Later in the season, he missed some games due to a sprained right thumb.[35] Despite losing approximately three quarters of its regular season games, Perspective eaed a Class 3A regional play in game victory against Noble Street Charter High School in Cheap Baltimore Ravens Jerseys the Illinois High School Association state playoffs when Davis totaled 33 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 blocked shots and 4 steals.[36] However, after losing the subsequent regional semifinal game to King College Prep High School the team finished with a 6 19 record.[37] Despite his growth, he continued to perform much of the role of a guard by bringing the ball up the court and shooting outside shots.[38] For the season, he averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds and 7 blocks.[17]

In high school, Davis eaed numerous honors for his basketball abilities including being named to the 2011 McDonald's All American Game and the 10th aual Jordan Brand Classic.[39][40] Although he had not been rated in the Mr. Basketball USA poll to end the 2009 10 season, he began the 2010 11 season ranked fifth, which was the highest of previously unranked players and finished the season fourth behind Rivers, Mike Gilchrist (now known as Michael Kidd Gilchrist) and Bradley Beal.[41][42] He joined those three and James Michael McAdoo as first team USA Today All USA high school basketball team selections.[43][44] He was a first team Parade All American.[45] He was also a first team All American selection by SLAM Magazine (along with Gilchrist, Rivers, Beal, Quincy Miller and Marquis Teague) and Dime Magazine (along with Gilchrist, Rivers, Beal and Myles Mack).[46][47] He was a first team selection to the ESPN Rise boys' high school basketball All American team.[48] However, in the statewide voting for the Illinois Mr. Basketball by coaches and media, he only placed fourth behind co wiers Boatright and Chasson Randle (Rock Island/Stanford) and third place finisher Blackshear.[49] Those four and Abdel Nader (Niles North/underclassman) formed the Chicago Tribune All State first team.[50] The Chicago Sun Times selected him as a Class 3A first team All State selection along with Blackshear.[51] The Chicago Sun Times selected him as an all Public League selection along with Blackshear, Parker, Henry and D. J. Tolliver.[52] The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association included him in the Class 3A/4A boys all state first team.[53]

In the March 30, 2011 McDonald's All American Game, in front of a hometown crowd at the United Center, he made his first five field goals on his way to a 14 point, 6 rebound, 2 steal and 4 block performance.[54][55] In the April 9 Nike Hoops Summit, Davis led the USA Basketball team to a 92 80 victory over the world team with a team high 10 rebounds to go along with 16 points and 2 blocks.[56][57] He was named co MVP of the April 16 Jordan Brand Classic game (along with McAdoo) after posting 29 points (on 13 for 15 shooting), 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in a losing effort.[58][59] Davis' 29 points was the second highest point total in the first 10 years of the Jordan Brand Classic, following only LeBron James' 34 point performance.[59]

High school / college

Commit date

Davis committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, coached by John Calipari. Before his college career began, he was being mentioned as the NBA draft first overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.[60][61][62] In late February Dick Vitale mentioned the possibility that Davis might complete the men's college basketball awards Grand Slam of National Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and the No. 1 overall Cheap Carolina Panthers Jerseys pick in the upcoming draft."[38] During the exhibition portion of the season for the 2011 12 Wildcats, Calipari described Davis as follows: "He's 6 10 with a 7 3 wingspan and he can shoot the 3 and dribble the ball and lead the break. . ."[63] Less than a month into the season, ESPN's Andy Katz described him similarly: "Davis offers a multitude of skills for the Wildcats with his ability to block shots, run the floor, score in the low post and face up to the basket."[64] Since Calipari had coached Marcus Camby, who was also a tall shot blocker, Davis drew comparisons to Camby.[64] ESPN selected Davis as a preseason All American along with teammate Terrence Jones.[65] Some sources, such as Blue Ribbon, selected Coecticut's Andre Drummond as the preseason Freshman/Newcomer of the Year ahead of Davis,[66][67] although Davis was the only freshman on the ESPN 10 man preseason team.[68] Davis only received one vote for the Associated Press preseason All America team.[69]

After most of the pre conference schedule but before the 2011 12 Southeaste Conference men's basketball schedule, Davis' teammate, Michael Kidd Gilchrist was mentioned as a possible Southeaste Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year.[70] However, after less than a month of Southeaste Conference play, Davis was not only being mentioned as conference player of the year, but also National Player of the Year.[71] By mid February, he was considered a National Player of the Year front ruer with his primary competition coming from Thomas Robinson of Kansas.[72] As the season progressed, he continued Cheap Buffalo Bills Jerseys to battle Robinson while developing a college level offensive game.[73][74] Davis averaged a double double and 6.5 blocks in the two games (November 15, 2011 and April 2, 2012) in which the two players opposed each other, both on neutral courts.[75][75] Davis led the Wildcats to a perfect 16 0 record in conference play en route to the SEC conference regular season championship.[76] Davis finished the year with averages of 14.2 points per game, 10.4 rebounds per game, 4.7 blocks per game and a field goal percentage of 62.3%.[77] The Wildcats entered the SEC Touament as heavy favorites and defeated LSU and Florida before losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the championship game.[76] Despite the loss, the cheap oakley sunglasses outlet Wildcats eaed the number one overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Touament.[78] In the Wildcats' six NCAA Touament games, Davis averaged 15.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game, and led the team to its eighth NCAA championship.[79][80]On October 20, 2011, Davis was one of three Kentucky Wildcats named to the 12 man preseason watchlist for the 2012 Wayman Tisdale Award along with Kidd Gilchrist, and Teague.[81] On November 7, 2011, he was selected to the 50 man preseason 2012 Naismith College Player of the Year Award watchlist by the Atlanta Tipoff Club along with three Kentucky teammates (Jones, Kidd Gilchrist, and Teague).[82] Davis was included on the 25 man John R.