![]() ![]() "Not everybody can tap into their 100 percent," said Carlos Daniel, the Pelicans' strength and conditioning coach, "but the great ones know how to tap into that 100 percent on a high level, and a more consistent level than anybody else."įive years ago, as a high school junior, Davis was strictly playing as a guard at 6'3". He seems humble, and that's one of the keys." But they can only be as good as they want to be with hard work and not believing the hype. "These types of players don't come around often and aren't necessarily made-they are born. "He's just a freak of nature, and players at any level would kill for his physical gifts," the scout said. While there are many young players who can jump out of the gym, most can't translate those athletic gifts into a package of versatile talent. He just has incredible versatility."ĭavis' teammate, shooting guard Eric Gordon, agreed, saying, "I think he can be the most complete player as a big that can change a game in many ways." He not only defends the rim, but he defends his own guy. "He defends, he can score the ball in the post, he can score on the perimeter, he's a lob threat, he gives (the Pelicans) vertical spacing, he runs the floor. "I don't know if there are many players in the NBA that you really even can compare him to," said Pacers and Eastern Conference All-Star coach Frank Vogel, who is a Kentucky alum, like Davis. With the Pelicans lacking an experienced center-last season, they had Robin Lopez-Davis has stepped up his coverage. He's averaging 1.6 steals and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game-1.3 more than he averaged as a rookie. "He'll be a terror in this league," Hibbert said.ĭavis not only should be a leading candidate for Most Improved Player this season, but also for Defensive Player of the Year. He also has great feet, so that helps a lot."ĭavis has even made arguably the best defensive center in the NBA, Roy Hibbert, a little nervous. ![]() On the other end, he's a fantastic rebounder, blocks and changes shots, and defends pick-and-rolls pretty well. Offensively, he can shoot, handle the ball, pass and take his man off the dribble. He was clearly talented coming out of college, but I don't think we saw the quick rise. "I'm not sure how many NBA execs, coaches and scouts expected him to be this good this fast. ![]() I think he can be top five in the league in 2-3 years max. "He's a phenomenal defensive player, but his offensive skills and growth in such a short period have been really impressive. "I think Davis very well could be the next big thing because of his amazing skill set," one NBA scout said. With those numbers, his PER (26.35) is fifth-best in the league, right behind seasoned All-NBA veterans such as Durant, James, Kevin Love and Chris Paul. A 6'10" power forward who's emerged as this season's breakout star, Davis is averaging 20.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field. ![]()
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