Anthony Davis might be best known for his impressive unibrow; however he is quickly emerging as one of the better power forwards in the league. Davis was born on March 11, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Anthony Davis Sr. and Erainer Davis, stand at 6’ 3” inches and 6” 1” respectively. So where did the 6’ 10” Davis get his height? It is quite a mystery, but Davis should be very grateful for the growth spurt because otherwise he might not be in the NBA today.
High School Career
Davis played basketball in Chicago at the Perspectives Charter School. Perspectives is a school that is primarily a math and science academy. The school has had very little success athletically and is a relatively weak and unheard of conference. Davis started his freshman year at only six feet tall and he only grew an inch his freshman year. He finished his sophomore year standing at 6’ 4” and played guard for his high school. Starting his junior year he stood at 6’8” but Davis still did not receive much attention from any colleges. Davis first became known when he joined the local AAU traveling team. Once he became more well-known he soon climbed up the rankings for high school prospects and received a scholarship offer from Syracuse. He soon climbed all the way up to the number one prospect in the nation, a very prestigious recognition. Before his senior year, Davis committed to Kentucky, even with “pay for play” rumors surrounding him. A story by the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Anthony Davis Sr had made demands of nearly $200,000 for his son’s commitment. Following the story, both the Davises and Kentucky threated to sue the newspaper, which caused the story to be taken down. The story was then reposted and published two months later, although there were no lawsuits filed. By his senior year Davis stood at six feet 10 inches and was well known throughout the college basketball world. While Davis had a great amount of individual success as a senior, his school did not, as they finished with a 6-19 record. Davis averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds, and seven blocks a game as a senior and was nominated to the McDonald’s All-American Game.
College Career
Davis was highly regarded entering his freshman year in Kentucky. He had a very versatile skill set and was already predicted to be one of the first picks in the NBA Draft. As the season progressed, Davis emerged as one of the top players in the nation and led the Wildcats to a record of 16-0 in the SEC. Davis soon earned a reputation as a rim protector, as he averaged nearly five blocks a game. Davis ended his freshman year averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds, and nearly five blocks a game. Davis’ play only increased once his top seeded Wildcats began play in the NCAA Tournament. He eventually led the Wildcats to their eighth National Championship. Davis was also named the National Player of the Year, named to the AP first team All-American team, and won the Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Davis also set the NCAA record for most blocks in a season for a freshman. Following their National Championship victory, Davis and the other four members of the Wildcats starting five all declared for the NBA Draft.
NBA Career
Before Davis’ professional career even began, he was competing for a spot on the Team USA basketball team. As a result of multiple injuries, most notably to Dwight Howard, Davis was given an opportunity to compete for the final spot on the Olympic team. Davis managed to beat out fellow big man Greg Monroe for the final spot on the roster. While Davis didn’t make much of an impact on the Olympic team, he was a member of the team that went undefeated and won a gold medal. Davis became the first player since Emeka Okafor to compete in the Olympics before playing in the NBA.
Davis was selected first overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets. While Davis’ rookie year did not quite live up to expectations, he was injured throughout the season and that hindered his development. Davis was viewed as a very raw prospect, considering that he had only been 6’ 10” for a few years. Davis missed nearly twenty games his rookie year but he still managed to be a very productive player. He finished the season with averages of 13 points, eight rebounds, and nearly two blocks a game. For most of the season Davis was outshined by fellow rookies Damian Lillard and Andre Drummond. So far, Davis’ second year has been much more productive and has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Davis suffered a fractured hand early in December and was expected to miss extended time; however he managed to return after missing only seven games. So far, Davis has averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds, and three and a half blocks per game. Davis is looking like the clear favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Personal life and other accomplishments
Davis has a twin sister named Antoinette.
For his junior high and high school career Davis practiced on a hoop at a nearby church, as his school did not have a gymnasium.
Davis donated $65,000 to his old high school so they could construct a basketball court.
Davis is well-known for his unibrow and he has trademarked two sayings, “Fear The Brow” and “Raise The Brow”
In the NCAA Championship game Davis recorded six blocks, which broke the single-season freshman record with 186.