Anthony Davis will be the top pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. But with the league seemingly going away from dominant big men, does he deserve to be?
The Miami Heat just won the NBA title using Udonis Haslem, Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony while Chris Bosh missed nine playoff games. Perimeter scorers are taking over the league.
But Davis’ most appealing trait may be that he fits the mold of forwards of the future.
He’s not a back-to-the-basket, immobile big man.
The 6-foot-11 forward can do just about everything. He is one of the best shot-blockers ever to play college basketball. He can shoot, rebound, handle the ball and pass.
The league has transcended to a more up-tempo pace, and Davis flourishes running up and down the floor.
Defaulting to size when making the top pick has come back to haunt teams in the past. The biggest draft busts have all been big men — Sam Bowie, Michael Olowokandi, Kwame Brown and Greg Oden.
But Davis is a different kind of big man.
– Jeffrey Tomik
