Chris Dortch takes an in depth look at Anthony Davis for SEC Digital Network’s website. He touches on how Davis’ growth spurt rocketed him to the upper echelon of college basketball prospects as well as the history he is making at Kentucky.
On the summer in which Davis shot up from 6’2” to an eventual 6’10’ and how it changed his life…
[I]“I said, ‘Anthony, what happened?’ ” Hale (Davis’ high school coach) said, laughing at the recollection. “He said, ‘I don’t know coach. I just woke up.’ And I said, ‘OK, go back to sleep and wake up again. Hopefully you’ll grow some more.’ ”[/I]
[I]Davis did grow more, to 6-10. The guard who could shoot well enough to possibly merit mid-major Division I scholarship consideration was about to become the hottest college prospect in the country, recast as a new-age big man who could perform the requisite blue-collar low-post tasks while retaining the skills of a guard.
Those kinds of players aren’t exactly hanging out on every street corner.
Suffice it to say, the rapid growth spurt took Davis by surprise. His parents are taller than average, and one of Davis’ cousins is 6-8, but there wasn’t much evidence to suggest he would become so tall so quickly. His coach’s initial reaction upon seeing the dramatic change foretold of a future where Davis would no longer have to worry about attracting the attention of college coaches. No, they would find him, all because his growth plates had shifted into overdrive.
“It came out of nowhere,” Davis said. “No one was really sure where it came from.”
Eventually, Davis decided, his rapid rise had divine origins.
“I think God just blessed me,” Davis said. “It was a gift that I’m still trying to take advantage of. I’m just glad it happened to me.”
So is Kentucky coach John Calipari and a legion of Wildcats fans around the world. Just 19 games into his freshman season, Davis has already etched his name into the record books of the winningest program in college basketball history, and he’s far from finished[/I]
On what Davis is doing at Kentucky…
[I]With 89 blocks, Davis is now taking aim at the Southeastern Conference record of 170, accomplished twice by Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado, the NCAA’s all-time leader (564), in 2009 and 2010. The single-season NCAA record of 207 set by Navy’s David Robinson in 1986 appears safe for now, but those who know Davis’ game best wouldn’t put it past him[/I].
[I]Davis, content to let the game come to him within the framework of Calipari’s offense, has no problem with how he’s being utilized, and in fact doesn’t care all that much about scoring. “Points don’t matter much to me,” he said. “Winning does.”[/I]
A Player of the Year candidate who thinks like this is what wins Titles. Davis is beginning to look like the most talented of Calipari’s superstars to come through Lexington. To read more, click [URL=”http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/SECNation/BlueRibbon/tabid/1502/Article/230611/one-on-one-with-chris-dortch-anthony-davis.aspx”]here[/URL].
