NBA Mock Draft: Top five picks
BY KEVIN BERTRAM, Couchsideshow.com contributor
1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis (PF — Kentucky — 19 years old)
Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis was named the Associated Press' Player of the Year this season.
Almost everyone has Davis as the consensus No. 1 overall pick this year, and there’s a good reason for that. He’s a defensive juggernaut who has a NBA-ready frame and brilliant athleticism. The AP Player of the Year is averaging 14.3 points per game, while hauling down 10 rebounds. However, these are by far his most ordinary stats: what comes next defines Davis as a special player.
First, he’s blocking 4.6 shots per game. When Davis is on the floor, Kentucky’s opponents watch their field goal percentages plummet: 14 percent of their total shots are blocked by the Wildcats when he’s patrolling the paint. He compares favorably in this regard to recent renowned, current NBA shot blockers when they were in college, as seen here in blocks / per 40 minutes:
- Anthony Davis, Kentucky (2010-2011): 5.85
- Emeka Okafor, Conneticut (2002-2003): 5.71
- Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut (2007-2008): 5.64 1
- Greg Oden, Ohio State (2006-2007): 4.84
- Tyrus Thomas, LSU (2005-2006): 4.63 (more…)
