Anthony Davis, you sure did show out on the biggest stage of your burgeoning career Monday night. The Most Outstanding Player after only putting up six points? That’s what 16 boards, 6 blocks, 5 dimes and 3 steals does for you I see. Oh yeah, I’m sorry Ms. Brittney Griner, I saw your Baylor Bears’ historic performance finishing a perfect 40-0 season. A nice 26 points, 13 boards and 5 block game on Tuesday.
Your legends continue to grow. You two sure aren’t new to this growth thing. Davis was in the recruiting hearts of Cleveland State as a 6-2 junior guard at Perspectives Charter in hoops-hotbed Chicago. Griner was certainly well equipped to excel on the hardwood as a 6-foot freshman. Now you stand alone as the best on the collegiate hardwood.
Davis, your stay is undoubtedly and understandably brief. You cleaned up shop with the post season awards, winning the Naismith Award, AP Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. They say you could be a once-in-a-generation talent and who could deny it. You led your five-star filled Kentucky squad in points and rebounds with 14.2 and 10.4 per. What’s more impressive is you only took the fourth most shots on the team. Uncanny production in a time where the first question asked from youth league to the NBA is how many points did you drop?
The blocked shots, 186 to be exact, and intimidation in the paint wowed us. Names like Russell, Duncan come out of all-time great coaches in tracking direct lineage to your game. Bob Knight and Rick Pitino know a little something right? There is the shot blocking ability and Calipari connection, so Marcus Camby is a natural comparison. But there is fluidity to your game. We all saw a glimpse of that handle so the time spent with the little men in your previous hoops life wasn’t all for naught.
Comparisons aside, let’s hope being the first Anthony Davis is not such a bad thing. Now, there will be concerns surrounding the lack of beef on your 6-10 frame. No pressure come draft combine time. Word has it Kevin Durant couldn’t lift 185-pounds on the bench press. Grown men in the league will certainly test you down low; you know the Kendrick Perkins types. This is where developing strength and a nice array of post moves comes into play.
Looking ahead to the draft lottery on May 30 and beyond, the top five franchises currently most likely to land you are as follows: Charlotte, Washington, New Orleans, Cleveland and Portland. Michael Jordan said he’s completely committed to turning around the Bobcats. Behind every great big man is a great floor general, so growing with Kyrie Irving in Cleveland or John Wall in Washington looks promising. Maybe your MOP performance in New Orleans was a sign of things to come. The Hornets fans would surely celebrate on Bourbon Street as you march on in to your spot as face of the franchise. And Portland, well, let’s just say you could end that trend or curse, however you want to put it (see Bowie, Sam; Oden, Greg; Roy, Brandon).
A front line in Sac-Town with fellow Kentucky product DeMarcus Cousins would be one built to last in the brutal western conference. Only time will tell though. So bid farewell to SEC foes Festus Ezeli and Patric Young. I’m sure you know the nightly opponents you’ll get well acquainted with. There are a few all-star quality pivots in the league, but this isn’t the golden age by any means. So, the time is ripe to lead the way for the next line of young big men.
As AD leaves Lexington for greener (top pick checks, endorsements, etc.), Brittney Griner, you get to radiate in the Baylor green one more time. Going for eighty straight and another national title has its perks. Besides, your stock isn’t dropping any time soon.
Season averages of 23.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and, eat your heart out AD, 206 blocks will suffice next year. This final season offers the chance to round out your game even more. During Baylor’s tourney run, there were signs of what is and what could be. Viewers of Sports Center will see the one-handed in traffic or two-handed breakaway dunks for sure, but I hope they saw your slick moves against double and triple teams. Against Notre Dame, you put some NBA big men to shame with your maneuverability on the baseline. It seems like you’re just realizing how dominate you can be on both ends of the floor.
You know the trailblazers of the game from Cheryl Miller, Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie to today’s stars Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker and Maya Moore. You are just as special. You’re literally taking the game to new heights. I’m expecting your entry in the annual college slam dunk contest. That is of course in case you guys aren’t preparing for the Final Four once more.
I don’t doubt your ability to change the game. You can impact the girls who look down when they walk because they see their size as a curse instead of a blessing. The girls playing sports merely because everyone says they should. You play the game because you love it and it shows. You walk with pride knowing you’re a bad girl on the court. The poise you show off the court should be taken heavily as well.
We won’t shy away from it. The chatter on the message boards, at the playgrounds, in school hallways and in living rooms makes a mockery of your greatness and presence on the hoops landscape. The nasty words and remarks must hurt, but you insist they don’t. Coach Kim Mulkey says “it’s gotta stop”.
How sad it is, but you are not alone. Many have come before you and even more will come after. You have the ability to rack up the endorsements, pose for magazine covers and show off what God blessed you with. Maybe the folks at Team Jordan will allow you up to join Moore as the two leading ladies in the sneaker game. Yeah, I’m talking game changer, on and off the court.
So here we are guys. Things will never be the same. There will be nothing like those two special nights in April.
Monday night at the Super Dome as the Wildcats won for the one-and-done naysayers and Tuesday night where a 40-0 season was captured in Denver. The one shining moment. The meeting and exceeding of expectations. The fulfillment of promise. As you go your separate ways, lock away those feelings and hunger for more. Regardless of comparisons and expectations placed on you, if you’re comfortable being Anthony Davis and Brittney Griner, you two should do just fine.
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